World Food Program USA Debuts the Zero Hunger Generation – World Food Program USA

Report on the “Zero Hunger Generation” Initiative and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction and Strategic Context

On July 9, 2025, World Food Program USA launched the “Zero Hunger Generation” initiative, a strategic program designed to mobilize young people in the United States to contribute to global hunger relief. This initiative directly addresses the critical challenge of global food insecurity, where over 343 million people face life-threatening hunger. The program is being implemented in a context of significant budget cuts to international aid, heightening the importance of public engagement and alternative funding streams to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Core Objective: Advancing Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger)

The primary objective of the “Zero Hunger Generation” program is to make a direct contribution to the achievement of SDG 2: Zero Hunger. The initiative is founded on the principle that hunger is the “world’s most solvable problem” and seeks to empower a new generation to take meaningful action. It addresses the key drivers of hunger, which are intrinsically linked to other Sustainable Development Goals:

• Conflict: A primary cause of food insecurity, highlighting the need for SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
• Climate Extremes: A significant threat to food production, underscoring the importance of SDG 13: Climate Action.
• Broken Food Systems: An issue that necessitates progress on SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Program Framework and Contribution to Multiple SDGs

The initiative targets individuals aged 18-35 and utilizes a gamified points system to encourage and track participation. The program’s structure is designed to support several SDGs simultaneously through a variety of engagement opportunities:

1. Education and Awareness: Through webinars and book clubs, the program promotes SDG 4: Quality Education by informing participants about the complexities of global hunger.
2. Action and Mobilization: Advocacy actions, volunteerism, and fundraisers provide concrete pathways for participants to contribute to SDG 2.
3. Professional Development: By offering resume-building activities and access to exclusive events, the initiative supports SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, equipping young professionals with skills and networks.

Mobilizing Youth through Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

The “Zero Hunger Generation” initiative is a clear example of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals in action. It seeks to build a powerful network of young advocates and create a replicable model for partner organizations to adopt. Polling data from 2024 indicates that ending global hunger is the top international cause for Gen Z, demonstrating a strong alignment between the generation’s values and the program’s mission. By leveraging this inclination for social action and global interconnectedness, World Food Program USA is mobilizing a key demographic to advance the global movement to end hunger.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• The article is centered entirely on combating global hunger. The program launched is named the “Zero Hunger Generation,” a direct reference to SDG 2. The text explicitly states its goal is to “mobilize around global hunger relief” and “take on one of the world’s greatest injustices,” which it identifies as hunger affecting “more than 343 million people.”

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article describes the creation of a new partnership to achieve the goal of ending hunger. The “Zero Hunger Generation” program is a multi-stakeholder initiative by World Food Program USA to mobilize a specific demographic (Gen Z), “partner organizations,” “influencers,” “policymakers,” and “businesses.” This collaborative approach to “advance the global movement to end hunger” is the core principle of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food

• The article directly supports this target by focusing on the problem of “more than 343 million people” who “face life-threatening levels of hunger.” The entire initiative is designed to mobilize action and resources to end this crisis, which aligns with the target’s goal of ending hunger and ensuring access to food for all.

Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development

• This target focuses on multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge and resources. The article details how the “Zero Hunger Generation” program does exactly this by creating a “powerful network of young people” and providing a platform for them to engage in “educational, service-oriented and career-building activities.” It is a partnership designed to mobilize action (“advocacy actions and fundraisers”) and share knowledge (“webinars, book clubs”) to achieve SDG 2.

Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

• The article highlights the role of World Food Program USA, a civil society organization, in creating a partnership that engages individuals (Gen Z) and aims to influence other sectors. The text mentions its mission to mobilize “American policymakers, businesses and individuals,” which is a clear example of promoting a civil society partnership that seeks to collaborate with the public and private sectors to achieve a common goal.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Implied Indicators for Target 2.1

• Prevalence of undernourishment: The article uses the statistic “More than 343 million people — about the same as the U.S. population — face life-threatening levels of hunger” to frame the scale of the problem. This figure serves as a baseline indicator of the prevalence of severe food insecurity, which the program aims to reduce.

Implied Indicators for Targets 17.16 and 17.17

• Number of engaged participants: The success of the “Zero Hunger Generation” movement can be measured by the number of young people who join. The article states, “We’re excited to see young people join this movement and take it to new heights,” implying that participant numbers are a key metric of the partnership’s growth and reach.
• Level of participant activity: The article describes a “gamified points system” where “participants can track their progress, earning points for completing actions.” These points serve as a direct, quantifiable indicator of the level of engagement and the volume of actions (like volunteerism, advocacy, and fundraising) undertaken by the partnership’s members.
• Financial resources mobilized: “Fundraisers” are listed as a key activity. The amount of money raised through these efforts would be a direct indicator of the partnership’s success in mobilizing financial resources to combat hunger.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Analysis

Source: wfpusa.org