The hunger problem in the world isn’t just about people who don’t have enough to eat. There’s also a second category; people who do get to eat each day, but who don’t have access to a balanced diet that contains the nutrients needed to be healthy and productive. An example of this could be someone who has two meals of rice and a thin soup per day. They’re not necessarily hungry in the “empty stomach” sense of the word, but without vitamins, protein, and minerals, they’re going to lack the vigour to concentrate at school or work, and will be vulnerable to illnesses. It’s a recipe for getting stuck in poverty, and it can hold back entire communities and nations from achieving their potential.

That’s why addressing malnutrition is important in the fight to end extreme poverty, and the UN agrees. Reports have emerged in recent days that the UN is in the process of creating a new body, which might be named UN Nutrition. It is expected that the new organisation will be headed by UNICEF and the World Food Program.

Malnutrition is an issue that needs further efforts to combat, yep. But there are already numerous UN bodies whose focus includes food and nutrition. Is the creation of another body going to bring better focus and coordination to the issue, or is it just going to create extra administration costs, more bureaucrats, and few new results? We’ll have to wait and see what the finer details are when UN Nutrition is officially unveiled, but I’m hopeful that this energy to try something new translates to new progress.