Concern welcomes Irish government’s investment to tackle malnutrition

Press release28 March 2025

Ayan* (39) with her 18 month old child Ahmed* at the Wiil Waal health centre, Somalia. Photo: Mustafa Saeed/Concern Worldwide

Concern warmly welcomes the Irish government’s announcement, made at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris yesterday (Thursday), of €250 million a year over the next four years to combat global malnutrition. This life changing funding will support the fight against malnutrition in communities marked by conflict and fragility, persistent poverty, and vulnerability to disasters or extreme weather events.

“Ireland’s funding, policy engagement, and emergency support - combined with Concern’s expertise in nutrition programme delivery - have made a significant impact on saving lives and reducing child malnutrition in some of the most crisis affected communities in the world,” said Dominic Crowley, Concern CEO.

“This week Ireland has added to its long legacy of leadership in advocating for nutrition investment at the global level. Concern believes that Ireland can champion and be the voice in international for a calling for a new narrative that highlights the economic as well as human capital case for investment in nutrition and food systems, whilst also holding firm on ensuring principled humanitarian action.”

Deaths

There are 305 million people around the world who are estimated to require urgent humanitarian assistance and protection this year, and nearly half of deaths among children under the age of 5 are linked to undernutrition. It is important that Ireland continues to lead on investment in the prevention and treatment of malnutrition, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, where the challenges and needs are most urgent. The economic cost of undernutrition is staggering, with a $2.1 trillion loss in productivity annually, yet every $1 invested yields a $23 return.*

Concern’s three-year, Irish Aid funded Hanaano programme (meaning 'nurture' in Somali), aims to combat child wasting in the cross-border region in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, a region which goes through continuous cycles of crisis due to the intersection of conflict and climate change.

Nutrition summit

The Hanaano programme aims to reach 300,000 people and will be led by communities who will identify and develop the solutions they see as working for them. Lessons to be learned from this community-led approach will inform regional and country strategies for child wasting prevention.

The Nutrition for Growth summit is a global pledging event, held every four years by the host country of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It brings together governments, international organisations, businesses, and NGOs to drive greater action towards ending malnutrition and placing nutrition higher on the development agenda.

For further information contact Eilis Staunton, Media Relations Officer, Concern Worldwide, at eilis.staunton@concern.net or +353 85 872 0720.

*Investment Framework for Nutrition 2024