Rockefeller Foundation commits $100m to global nutritional security

The Rockefeller Foundation has announced a new $100m commitment to address the rising nutritional insecurity as well as support more than a dozen countries’ efforts to expand and further develop their school meal programmes.

This five-year effort, which builds on initial work in Brazil and Kenya, aims to reach 100 million children worldwide and in the United States with more nutritious and regenerative grown school meals.

This is one of the outcomes of the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2025 in Paris, France, hosted by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, where over $27b was also mobilised as part of financial commitments to advance nutrition-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The summit, which held from March 27 to 28, was a pivotal international conference dedicated to addressing global malnutrition and promoting nutrition as a central pillar of sustainable development. It brought together governments, international organisations, philanthropies, businesses, NGOs, and other key stakeholders to share successes, discuss challenges and make new commitments toward improving global nutrition outcomes.

One of the key issues raised during the summit was the significant funding gap in nutrition programmes and the urgent need to mobilise additional resources.
Civil society representatives urged governments and private sector actors to increase their financial commitments and ensure that funds reach the most vulnerable populations.

Public-private partnerships were identified as key mechanisms to scale up nutrition interventions, bridge funding gaps, and ensure large-scale implementation of sustainable nutrition programmes.

Participants also shared challenges and solutions in addressing malnutrition, citing obstacles such as political instability, limited funding, and a lack of awareness about the impact of nutrition on development.

A plenary session highlighted the harsh realities of poverty and malnutrition in Nigeria, particularly, among young women, indicating that many female farmers lack nutritional education, leading them to sell their nutrient-rich crops instead of consuming them, only to purchase less nutritious foods, thereby perpetuating malnutrition.

The opening session stressed urgent need to address global nutritional challenge and the critical role of collaboration in achieving sustainable solutions.
Speakers noted that despite progress in recent years, malnutrition remains a major global issue, affecting millions of people, particularly children and vulnerable populations. They highlighted that the consequences of poor nutrition extend beyond health, impacting economic growth, education, and overall human development.
 
According to Prime Minister of France, François Bayrou, the world is still far from achieving UN Hunger Goal for 2030, underscoring urgent need for renewed action and commitment. He, however, expressed optimism that with continued efforts and collaboration, progress towards ending hunger remains possible.

King of Lesotho, H.M. Letsie III, stated need for nutrition to be number one development priority in Africa. He called for collective action from donors, Ministers of Finance, nutrition experts, and civil society representatives, reminding everyone that it all starts with nutrition.

A major focus of the discussions was the ongoing global nutrition crisis, particularly, the persistent issues of malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and food insecurity. Despite efforts in recent years, millions—especially children and marginalised communities—continue to suffer from poor nutrition, affecting their health, cognitive development, and economic opportunities.
 
She also discussed expanding partnerships to integrate nutrition with immunisation and other health services, ensuring that nutrition reaches those who need it most.

During a session hosted by Nutriset, stakeholders from the private sector, governments, and civil society explored strategies for aligning nutrition and commerce.

The Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Lawrence Haddad, challenged the belief that nutrition and business cannot be aligned. He stressed the need for strategic engagement with companies to understand how nutrition fits into their commercial agenda, calling for innovative approaches to bridge this gap.