At the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Italy, leaders of the bloc pledged to step up efforts to prevent and combat malnutrition globally.
The pledge comes as the conflict in Ukraine is exacerbating food problems around the world.
According to a draft statement released on June 14, the G7 will promote the G7 Apulia Food Systems Initiative (AFSI), named after the southern Italian region that hosts the G7 summit, to overcome "structural" barriers to food security and nutrition.
The initiative will focus on low-income countries and support projects in Africa, one of the top priorities under Italy's rotating G7 presidency this year.
Western powers also pledged to work together to “improve the financial space for food security,” including by reducing borrowing costs for poorer nations through mechanisms such as debt-for-nature swaps. Debt-for-nature swaps are financial instruments that cut a developing country’s debt in exchange for “green” projects that protect vital ecosystems.
G7 development ministers are expected to discuss and agree on the details of the AFSI initiative in the coming months.