Urgent need to step up efforts to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms

Speakers at the global World Food Day ceremony in Rome on October 16 called for stronger political will and more financial support to end hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, urging the international community to step up its efforts until everyone has enough and quality food.

This year’s theme – “Our actions are our future: a Zero Hunger world by 2030 is possible” – underscores the urgent need to step up collective efforts to reach the Zero Hunger goal.

“The struggle against hunger urgently demands generous financing, the abolition of trade barriers and, above all, greater resilience in the face of climate change, economic crises and warfare,” Pope Francis said in a special message read out at the event.

He urged for a Zero Hunger approach that is more proactive and sustained over time, and concrete actions – to step up funds to foster peace and the development of peoples, and prevent weapons and their trade.

World Food Day is marked as conflict, extreme weather events linked to climate change, economic slowdown and rapidly increasing overweight and obesity levels are reversing progress made in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.

Other keynote speakers at the event were FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, FAO Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition, King Letsie III of Lesotho, Queen Letizia of Spain, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Gilbert F. Houngbo, and Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley.

On World Food Day, FAO is also hosting in Rome two high-level panels focused on achieving Zero Hunger:

• Presenting the challenges faced in achieving Zero Hunger
• Bringing people to the centre of solutions for the planet

Original source: FAO
Published on 16 October 2018