Investing in Innovation as a Necessity for Safer Food

UNIDO world without hunger conference — Image credit: UNIDO

Image: Director General of UNIDO Gerd Müller

Every person on the planet has a right to safe and nutritious food, this is a fundamental human right. However, today, millions of people still face the daily risk not just of going hungry but also of becoming sick from the food that should nourish them.

In a time of mounting global challenges—climate change, conflict, and inflation—food systems are under increasing pressure. According to the latest estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),1 around 700 million people suffer from chronic hunger. While there are positive developments in regions such as South Asia and Latin America, the figures rose in Africa and West Asia over the past year. At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates2 that 600 million people become sick every year from unsafe food and that 420,000 people die from related issues, many of them small children. These are not just statistics; these are lives, families, and futures. These deaths are not due to war or natural disasters. They are preventable.

The poorest communities are hit the hardest, and children are particularly vulnerable, with unsafe food contributing to stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and other impairments. Recent data shows that these effects of poor nutrition are again on the rise, affecting more than 150 million children worldwide in 2024. Agriculture represents only 1.85 percent of total government expenditures worldwide, just over $700 billion USD in 2024.3 This is simply not enough, because a world without hunger and with safe food for all is indeed possible.

In many low- and middle-income countries (LIMCs), the inspection systems which are needed to ensure food safety are weak and underfunded. Many small producers lack the basic infrastructure required such as clean water or cold storage as well as the necessary safeguarding practices which determine access to markets. Globally, unsafe food costs LIMCs over $110 billion USD annually in productivity losses and medical expenses.4 The cost of doing nothing is far higher than the cost of effective action.

Investment Now, Security Tomorrow

Together with FAO, UNIDO recently conducted a detailed analysis of the actions necessary in order to build the strong, safe, and resilient food systems of the future. We presented these results at the World Without Hunger conference in Addis Ababa in November 2024. The conclusions were clear: over the next decade, the world must invest approximately $50 billion USD per year across six key areas of the agri-food system: processing, distribution, retail, food loss prevention, infrastructure and crucially, food safety. Think of the over $2 trillion dollars spent on armaments and war worldwide each year, and how with a small fraction of that we could create a world with food safety and food security for all.

As global food demand increases and changes due to population growth, urbanization, and a rising middle class, the systems upon which we rely must be modernized. Working to end hunger is not charity, it is both a moral imperative and a smart investment. Safe food improves health, boosts productivity, empowers people to realize opportunities, and opens the door to regional and international markets for more shared prosperity.

UNIDO's Mission: Safer Food and Stronger Food Systems

For decades, we have supported governments and industries in building food safety systems which work for consumers, producers, and the planet. UNIDO helps set up trusted trade regimes based on international standards. We support countries in building their institutional capacities and robust policy and regulatory frameworks. For example, UNIDO contributed to the Africa Food Regulatory Authorities Forum together with representatives from the African Union in October 20235 and to regional conformity assessment bodies, such as the West African Accreditation System (SOAC). We also work with thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises globally, providing tailored support for compliance with international food safety standards.

Recently, we launched the UNIDO Food Safety Approach 2.0, a new strategy centered around three pillars:

First: Supporting resilient and improved food safety practices in businesses through effective capacity building
Second: Enabling robust food safety systems by supporting competent authorities and conformity assessment bodies
Third: Fostering advocacy for food safety and new partnerships, especially by engaging with the private sector and advancing multi-stakeholder dialogue and interventions.

We see food safety as a complex ecosystem, including national regulators, agribusiness, food safety service providers, and academia, as well as technology providers who offer innovative solutions. This is what UNIDO offers at the national, regional, and global level.

Innovation: The Future of Food Safety

We are living in the age of data. Digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and traceability are already transforming how food is produced and risks along the supply chains are being managed. These technologies are improving inspection outcomes, surveillance and tracking food from farm to fork.

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The AI and big data market in the food industry, valued at nearly $7 billion USD in 2022 alone, is expected to grow exponentially with a projected increase of $270 billion USD by 2032.6 Local innovation through access to support services underlines the importance of sustainable industrialization in LIMCs. UNIDO works together with UN partners as well as industry, which ultimately can improve access to innovation and food systems transformation.

The Vienna Food Safety Forum 2025 was a call for smarter food safety systems through digitalization.7 We must work together to unlock the opportunities of digitalization and AI and provide support for everyone to adopt these tools for a future in which no one is left behind.

A Call to All: Join the Movement for Food Safety

Food safety is a shared responsibility. Governments set the rules. Consumers drive demand. However, it is the food industry which must play a leading role. This is why we call upon them to step up and join our Addis Ababa Call to Action. Investing in food safety systems is crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In a world of rising inequality, conflict and climate pressure, food safety must not fall off the agenda. A world without hunger is possible and food safety is part of the solution.

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