The world marks on Friday the World Food Day (WFD), which coincides with the 75th anniversary of founding the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Two billion people are obese, one trillion dollars’ worth of food is wasted every year, yet many millions still go hungry according to statics of the United Nations (UN).
Experts across the world warn that rates of hunger are still rising, due to factors including conflict, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The deadly virus that sweeps various parts of the planet puts a strain on food systems that are already failing in many countries.
Conflict and climate change remain the biggest drivers of hunger worldwide but COVID-19 is exacerbating the crisis, with tens of millions at risk of falling into extreme poverty.
On the one hand, food prices are going go up and, at the same time, people are feeling the hit of the socio-economic crisis.”
Today’s food systems do not respond to what we need as people. The cause of death for one in three people around the world is related to what they eat.
The UN chief, António Guterres, didn’t mince his words in his World Food Day video address.
“In a world of plenty, it is a grave affront that hundreds of millions go to bed hungry each night”, he declared.
The Secretary-General called for more intense efforts to achieve the UN’s vision of a sustainable future “where everyone, everywhere, has access to the nutrition they need.”
Guterres underscored making food systems more resistant to volatility and climate shocks, minimizing food waste, and ensuring that everyone has access to a sustainable and healthy diet.
Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, the country which hosts the FAO, said that, with some 100 million people living below the poverty line, the world needs a serious global commitment to recognize the value of agriculture.
“Food”, he said, “with its ancient and inextricable link with cultures, traditions, and the land should be seen as a noble cause."
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