President William Ruto has called on global leaders to adopt urgent, innovative measures to combat hunger and ensure universal access to nutritious food. Speaking at the Second UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ruto emphasized the pressing need to accelerate efforts toward ending hunger and transforming global food systems.
While acknowledging progress in providing safer and more nutritious food, Ruto noted that millions still face starvation, malnutrition, and under-nutrition, especially in developing countries. “Starvation, malnutrition, and under-nutrition remain a harsh daily reality for far too many,” he said. He also raised concerns about the rising global health burden of obesity and diet-related diseases, which he said hamper socio-economic development.
President Ruto highlighted the paradox of a global food system contributing 10–12% of the world’s GDP equivalent to $8–10 trillion while many developing nations remain food insecure. He called for deliberate action to make food systems more inclusive and impactful in low-income regions.
In his address, Ruto urged countries to integrate food system strategies into their national policies and champion innovative financing for small-scale farmers, agri-preneurs, and start-ups. He praised Kenya’s digital financial platforms, such as M-PESA, as transformative tools for rural economies and advocated for scaling such solutions globally.
The President also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships to mobilize investments and unlock sustainable agricultural solutions. “We must leverage the power of financial institutions to catalyze investment and deliver meaningful change,” he stated.
Furthermore, Ruto called for greater investment in research, technology, and climate-smart agriculture. He urged support for academic institutions and the scaling of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in food production.
The summit, co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy, brought together key global leaders, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed.
Later, Ruto held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Meloni and President Mohamud to discuss national and regional interests, reinforcing Kenya’s commitment to sustainable development through global cooperation.
