‘Wasting Reset’: wasting prevention, early detection and treatment to catalyse action and accountability- Solutions from the financing working group

In recent years, whilst there has been an increase in interest and investment aimed at reducing wasting, including strong support from national governments, the pace of progress is much too slow to reach global goals and targets. We therefore need a ‘reset’ of childhood wasting prevention, early detection and treatment. This reset aims to galvanise multiple stakeholders around the key actions needed to stimulate progress and ensure accountability in the 2022-2030 period, and will be used by governments and organisations to inform their political and financial commitments to tackling wasting.

To provide technical recommendations on what needs to be done to significantly reduce child wasting, six independent working groups (WGs) were established. These WGs were made up of representatives of more than 40 organisations and governments, who discussed and agreed upon key messages and actions.

The key messages from this Working Group were: 

• We need increased political and financial commitments to achieve Zero Hunger. USD 12.6 billion per year is urgently needed in financial commitments to reach the Sustainable Development Goal-2 targets by 2030
• More accurate and comprehensive financial estimates are required for wasting prevention. Financing mechanisms and flows need to be made more sustainable and effective.
• We need to determine the means of measurement and accountability.