World Food Day 2011

The rising world population, climate change and financial crisis – whether you are in developed or in emerging economies, most are familiar with these global issues. These disasters mean a fundamental threat to the lives of 925 million people in the world.

If we look at the UNICEF report, The State of the World’s Children (2007), it shows that in developing countries, nearly one fourth under the age of five are underweight (in absolute figures, 146 million)! Hunger is an issue all around the world.

To enhance the public awareness of these issues, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) observes World Food Day each year on the 16^th of October.

The UN FAO identifies observance objectives as the following:

• encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental efforts to this end
• encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries
• encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions
• heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world
• promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world
• strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development

Ways to get involved are available on the UN FAO website.  There you will find information about current campaigns, initiatives and opportunities to support the fight against hunger.

*Editor’s note: This post was submitted by our Sustainability Project Intern, Lars K.