Every G8 meeting delivers new agreements, promises and actions. However, this time we are looking at the summit to also deliver on a promise that was made long ago.
Governments agreed on a concerted attack on chronic malnutrition and deficiency diseases - in 1974.
Still, 34 years later, chronic malnutrition is rampant. It leads to the death of 3.5 million children every year, limits the growth of 178 million children more, and undermines the health and productivity of 2 billion people worldwide. It is an ongoing tragedy that can be prevented.
We have to fight malnutrition to reduce death and disease, and its high economic costs. We can only achieve the Millennium Development Goals if we improve nutrition.
Even better, fighting malnutrition is proven to be one of the best investments to reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth. Governments, the private sector and civil society can deliver large-scale, cost-effective interventions and fortified products that make people and economies healthier and stronger.
It is time to give healthy nutrition - as a condition for human existence, growth and productivity - the political attention of the G8 and the wider international community it deserves.
And it is time to make the commitments to and investments in large-scale, concerted actions that ensure the poor and vulnerable, especially women and children, gain access to healthy foods.
