The World Food Week kicks off 14th of October. FAO, IFAD and the other Rome-based United Nations agencies join forces to raise awareness among the global public and policymakers on the many factors underlying food and nutrition.
The following activities have a direct bearing on the fight against hunger:
- International Day for Rural Women, October 15 – recognizing the multidimensional role of women in enhancing rural development, improving food security and reducing rural poverty.
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World Food Day, October 16 – focus on the need to adopt sustainable food systems in order to ensure the future food supply.
- International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, October 17 – Fighting poverty remains at the core of the UN development agenda, and investments in poor rural areas are one of the keys to success.
This year the World Food Day’s theme is “Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition”. A food system is made up of the environment, people, institutions and processes by which agricultural products are produced, processed and brought to consumers. Every aspect of the food system has an effect on the final availability and accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods – and therefore on consumers’ ability to choose healthy diets.
What would a sustainable food system look like? Is it possible to get from here to there? What would need to change?
Check out this video about a Vietnamese no-waste system integrating fish farming, raising livestock and growing fruit and vegetables, all on the same farm. It has assured sufficient, healthy food to Viet Nam’s rural farmers — about half the population — while generating income and feeding the growing cities.