Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

SDG8 takes a holistic view of society in terms of the economic, social, and environmental aspects of our lives and is arguably central to the successful realisation of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. This chapter provides an overview of SDG8, its relationship with food security and nutrition and the progress made toward SDG8. Although some strides have been made towards achieving SDG8 targets, progress, in general, has been slow with isolated pockets of success, mainly in middle-income and developed countries. A country’s level of development and circumstances, such as resource endowment and institutions, are important explicators of progress toward SDG8. Even so, with careful coordination and synergies among stakeholders and countries, progress can be sped up, especially in low-income countries with low agricultural productivity. Ultimately, the attainment of SDG8 targets will ensure that all people at all times not only have enough safe and nutritious food that promotes an active and healthy life but also that the production, consumption, and distribution patterns promote social inclusion and environmental sustainability.