This year’s theme for World Food Day is “The Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future.”
It serves as a timely reminder that everyone has the right to adequate food.
But how do we turn a right into a reality? And why is it so important to think not only about having enough food, but also about dietary diversity?
Opinion piece by Mr. QU Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
That is why I use the word “foods” in the plural, to highlight this diversity, as well as the availability of food, its accessibility, and its affordability for everyone.
At present, farmers around the world produce more than enough food to feed the global population in terms of calories. However, around 730 million people suffer from hunger due to natural and man-made disasters, including conflicts, recurring weather disturbances, inequality, and economic recessions.
Billions Lack Access to Healthy Diets Another harsh reality is that more than 2.8 billion people worldwide cannot afford a healthy diet, which is one of the main causes of malnutrition in all its forms.
Simply put, nearly one-third of the world’s population currently does not get the nutrients and micronutrients they need to thrive—and, in some cases, to survive. This means that the quality of life for nearly half the world’s population urgently needs to be improved.
We need a greater variety of nutritious and affordable foods to be available in our fields, fishing nets, markets, and on our tables, for the benefit of everyone. This is not just about meeting people’s nutritional needs, but also about ensuring that our food systems are efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable so that they can respect traditional food cultures and healthy diets based on science and in line with personal preferences.
Another key consideration is the long-term health and sustainability of the environment on which we depend to produce this food and which needs biodiversity to thrive.
The right to food alone will not fill stomachs or bring more diverse meals to the table. But it helps us define our shared aspirations for the just and equitable world in which we want to live. It creates specific obligations that governments and key partners must fulfill, and it should encourage us all to do our part to ensure that this is achieved.
This is why we need to take action now.
The Role of the FAO At the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we work hard to make this a reality
This right faces a number of challenges. In conflict zones, access to food is disrupted, leading to malnutrition and hunger. In these and other hunger hotspots, the FAO’s efforts focus on rebuilding agricultural infrastructure to ensure food availability and accessibility, thereby achieving long-term food security through all available means and channels.
In addition to these urgent interventions, key FAO programs—such as the Hand-in-Hand initiative, the One Country, One Priority Product initiative, the Blue Economy, and the Technical Cooperation Programs (TCPs)—also aim to achieve food security and nutrition in the medium and long term across a wide range of countries.
In many places, changes in diet and market consolidation driven by globalization have led to an increase in health problems, particularly obesity and diabetes. School feeding programs supported by the FAO play an important role in helping to address these challenges, as they source food from local farmers and ensure that children receive nutritious meals.
In many countries across all regions, the FAO works with fishing communities and local governments to expand social protection and economic inclusion for the most vulnerable, and helps them diversify their production, generate alternative sources of income, and connect to new markets.
Inflation, especially during periods of economic instability, can make food unaffordable. In some African countries, for example, FAO initiatives include cash transfers to the poorest households, helping them to purchase food during times of hyperinflation.
The climate crisis poses a significant threat to global food security. Erratic weather patterns and natural disasters can devastate crops and livestock. For example, in some Asian countries, the FAO has introduced climate-smart agriculture techniques to help farmers adapt to changing weather conditions, ensuring a steady food supply.
In addition, by working closely with governments, FAO contributes to the development of legal frameworks and has helped formulate national policies aimed at ensuring food security and nutrition for all.
Collective action is needed. But it is not only governments that we are asking to join this fight. Collective action can drive substantial change through global collaboration among all sectors and all stakeholders, namely governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and individuals.
And especially young people, because they have the right to a future with food security. They are the ones who shape and decide the future. All the calls to action emerging from the United Nations Future Summit are shaped by their actions.
Farmers can make a difference by practicing sustainable agriculture that enhances biodiversity and manages natural resources responsibly. Companies can make nutritious and diverse foods more affordable. Academia and civil society can hold governments accountable by collecting data, identifying areas for improvement, implementing scientific and technical solutions, and measuring progress toward achieving the goals.
Science and innovation—particularly information technology (IT), biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital agriculture, among others—will be a driving force behind the transformation of agri-food systems.
Finally, all of us as consumers can and must do our part to reduce our “food footprint” by adopting healthy lifestyles, speaking out to influence decision-making, reducing food waste, and promoting food diversity.
This World Food Day gives us an opportunity to renew our commitment to creating more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems that respect everyone’s right to a varied and nutritious diet.
Together, we can get back on track toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—our shared commitment to take action for people, the planet, and prosperity. We can do this by transforming global agri-food systems to ensure four improvements: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life—leaving no one behind.
Our actions shape our future.
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