Select Committee · International Development Committee

The UK Government’s work on achieving SDG2: Zero Hunger

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Oct 2023 Closed: 9 Jun 2025 29 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry examined the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and wider UK Government’s work on hunger and nutrition around the world and work towards achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 in line with SDG2. It examined the impact on this work of significant ongoing cuts to the UK aid budget. The Committee examined the effectiveness …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report - The Government’s efforts to achieve SDG2: Zero… HC 515 18 Mar 2025 37 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

10 items
6 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

UK poverty alleviation tools need greater sensitivity to smallholder farmers' vital role.

Smallholder farmers in low-income countries are vital players in sustainable food systems. We welcome some of the steps taken to assess the impact of new trade deals on low-income countries. Currently, though, there is more to be done to ensure that the range of tools the UK has to alleviate …

Government response. The government partially agrees, highlighting existing ODA programmes and trade agreement assessment frameworks that consider smallholder farmers. They do not believe a separate assessment is currently warranted but will consider it in 2026, subject to the Spending Review.
7 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Assess and adjust trade, agriculture, climate, and gender programmes for smallholder farmers.

We recommend the Government assess its trade, agriculture, climate and gender programmes against the impact they have on smallholder farmers. Where necessary, these programmes should be adjusted to mitigate harm against smallholder famers and to enhance their place within sustainable food systems. (Recommendation, Paragraph 29)

Government response. The government partially agrees, stating existing safeguarding frameworks and impact assessments already consider smallholder farmers. It will consider a further impact assessment in 2026, but does not deem a separate assessment warranted at this stage due to the ongoing Spending …
13 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Ensure Official Development Assistance for nutrition and food security programming is predictable and long-term.

We recommend that the FCDO put measures in place to ensure that all Official Development Assistance committed to nutrition and food security related programming is predictable and long term, with better safeguards against, and warnings of, any changes to funding agreements with delivery partners. We request the Government outline clearly …

Government response. The government partially agrees, acknowledging the value of predictable programming and noting the FCDO's ODA budget will have greater certainty. However, final 2025/26 allocations are pending the Spending Review, though they commit to managing funding changes responsibly and informing partners.
15 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

UK trade policy needs to reflect SDG2 aspirations regarding food-insecure populations.

UK trade policy needs to reflect the Government’s aspirations for achieving SDG2 with a continued commitment to comprehensive assessments of the impact of trade deals on food-insecure populations and a focus on reforming trading rules that compound food insecurity. (Conclusion, Paragraph 52)

Government response. The government partially agrees, stating it already has frameworks for assessing trade deals and ODA impact, and will consider further impact assessments in 2026, depending on the Spending Review.
18 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Demonstrate top-level government commitment to UK leadership in tackling global hunger challenges.

Successive UK Governments have been innovative and effective leaders in the efforts to tackle hunger. The UK has the convening power and expertise to be a considerable force for good in tackling the challenges of international fundraising, trade reform, climate and development policy which will be needed. However, the will …

Government response. The government states its commitment to maintaining leadership on food security and nutrition, citing the launch of the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration. However, it defers setting out a roadmap for future pledges until the Spending Review is finalised in …
19 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Government has an excellent opportunity to demonstrate leadership on SDG2 at Nutrition for Growth.

The Government has an excellent opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to leadership on SDG2 by doing everything it can to ensure that the Nutrition for Growth summit is a success. We wait with anticipation for the announcements the Government intends to make at the summit regarding the integration of programming …

Government response. The government launched the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration to boost impact and leverage finance for nutrition across sectors. However, it was unable to make a funding commitment at the summit due to an ongoing Spending Review and will explore …
28 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Ensure long-term financial support for RUTF/MMS and pledge £50m to the Child Nutrition Fund.

The Government should work with governments and organisations to ensure continued long-term, predictable financial support for Ready-to use Therapeutic Foods and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation packs, to address the needs of children and pregnant women in humanitarian situations. This should support local production, where possible, and partner with national governments in …

Government response. The government partially agrees, accepting the importance of predictable, long-term funding for nutrition commodities, local production, and partnership. They highlight existing significant contributions to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) and successful support for local RUTF production, but defer a decision …
31 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Sustained focus on underlying hunger causes and whole-of-government approach remains crucial.

We are encouraged that the department appears to understand the importance of harmonising development programming and the importance of considering issues of age, gender, nutrition and food security across the piece. However, it is important that this Government build on the progress of the last by identifying where there is …

Government response. The government agrees in principle to a common, coordinated, whole-of-government approach to fighting hunger, with FCDO collaborating with other departments. However, it defers decisions on delivery frameworks for future work until the completion of the ongoing Spending Review.
34 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Integrate SDG2 as a cross-cutting issue across diplomatic activity, mandating reporting by heads of missions.

Beyond the Nutrition for Growth summit, we encourage the Government to see SDG2 as an issue of vital strategic importance to the UK’s national and international interests. Consequently, it should be adopted as a cross- cutting issue across diplomatic activity with heads of missions being made aware of its linkages …

Government response. The government agrees to prioritize SDG2 as a cross-cutting issue within FCDO, committing to developing a roadmap for its Global Nutrition Integration Compact in 2025. However, it defers action on making it a broader cross-government priority, citing capacity limits and …
36 Recommendation 3rd Report - The Government’s efforts t… Accepted in Part

Provide clear guidance for commissioning research coherent with hunger-fighting aspirations and food systems.

The Government needs to ensure that research is coherent with its aspirations to fighting hunger and considers the inter-related factors facing nutrition and food systems. As part of the Zero Hunger delivery framework there should be clear guidance on this to those commissioning research. (Recommendation, Paragraph 89)

Government response. The government agrees research must address interconnected factors impacting nutrition and food systems, highlighting its existing food systems approach and the Gilbert Initiative. The response does not, however, explicitly commit to providing new clear guidance for those commissioning research.

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
4 Feb 2025 Chris Carter · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Jen Haugen · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
10 Dec 2024 Dr. Shaikh Tanveer Ahmed · HANDS Foundation, Mr Brieuc Pont · Government of France, Mrs Melina Mtonga · Find Your Feet Malawi, Ms Massiye Nyang’wa · Malawi, Violet Natembeya · Kenya View ↗
12 Mar 2024 Dr Diana Onyango · Farm Africa, Dr Rachael McDonnell, Jyotsna Puri · International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Rt Hon Rory Stewart · Give Directly, Ruchi Tripathi · VSO View ↗
30 Jan 2024 Abigail Perry · World Food Programme, Dr Mairo Mandara · United Against Malnutrition and Hunger, Florian Monnerie · Action against Hunger, Grainne Moloney · UNICEF, Tariro Washaya · MeDRA (Methodist Relief and Development Agency) Zimbabwe, Victor Mughogho · Eagles Malawi View ↗

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
7 Jan 2025 Correspondence from the Minister of State for Development relating to The Task …
7 Jan 2025 Correspondence to the Minister of State for Development relating to The Task Fo…
7 May 2024 Correspondence from the Minister for Development & Africa relating to The role …
7 May 2024 Correspondence to the Minister for Development & Africa relating to The role of…