Regional Developments
South Asia
Avinash Kishore
Combating high levels of malnutrition and rising rates of noncommunicable diseases will require fiscal reforms to promote the production and consumption of non-staple foods
In South Asia, supporting a shift toward better nutrition and healthier diets will require allocating more resources to promote production and consumption of non-staple foods. “Crop-neutral” policies would allow farmers to respond to market signals and the resulting diversification in domestic food production could also reduce poverty in the region. Higher taxes on foods high in fat, sugar, and salt could help slow the rapid increase in consumption of these foods, and effective front-of-package labeling can promote healthy food choices by consumers and incentivize reformulation by manufacturers.
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