Highlights

• Nutrition transitions and urbanization are ushering overnutrition and NCDs.

• Climate change, land pressures, and environmental degradation are threatening food security progress.

• Agrobiodiversity and associated indigenous knowledge are declining across Melanesia.

• Cultivating indigenous knowledge through participation is essential for achieving SDG 2.

• Nutrition education is the most cost-effective strategy for accelerating food and nutrition security.

Abstract

This is the first review to examine progress and barriers towards achieving food security in Melanesia as defined by United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger and its component targets. Globally, Indigenous Peoples makeup ~5% of the global population and are responsible for protecting ~80% of the world's biodiversity. Indigenous Melanesians live within one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, however our findings suggest that traditional agrobiodiversity and food system knowledge are being lost to urbanization, lifestyle changes, imported foods, and deforestation. While progress has been made in reducing stunting and wasting, considerable efforts are still required to reverse the rising rates of NCDs and achieve food security in Melanesia. Future strategies should focus on promoting nutrition education, improved education for women, increasing agrobiodiversity within food systems, sustainable seafood production, diversification of protein sources, equitable market opportunities, and crafting trade agreements with insights from public health professionals to encourage health over profits. Strong participatory strategies inclusive of traditional knowledge are essential if Melanesia aims to progress towards the targets outlined in SDG 2: Zero Hunger.