World Food Day 16 Oct | Grow Nurture and Sustain Together

World Food Day is founded by FAO (Food and Agricultural Organizations) in 1979. World food day has lot of implications. It tried to cover the different attributes which are peculiarly helpful for human kind and eco system as a whole. The different parameters for world food day are enumerated below.

·         Origin

·         Objectives

·         Theme and Action Plan

·         Time to Build

·         Digital Technologies

·         Specific Duty

·         World Food Day Poster Contest

·         Key Facts on WFD

v  Origin:

World food day is celebrated every year around the world on 16^th October. It is also called as ‘Food Engineer’ day. This year World Food Day will be observed for the 40^th time. The day is celebrated widely by many other organizations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas

This auspicious occasion will also mark the 75^th Anniversary of the founding of the FAO of the United Nations. WFD was established by FAO’s member countries at the organization’s 20^th general conference in November 1979. More than 150 countries celebrated WFD. 

v  Objectives:

a.    Encourage to increase agricultural food production.

b.    Fight against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

c.    Economic and technical coordination among member nations.

d.    Increase public awareness about hunger in the world.

e.    Attract attention towards food and agricultural development.

f.     To maintain the food prices.

v  Theme and Acton Plan:

Since 1981 WFD has adopted a different theme each year in order to provide a common focus. On 16^th October 2020 WFD theme enters its 40^th year. World Food Day is a day of action against hunger.

World Food Day specifies Theme for every year. The Theme for the Year 2020 is,

 Theme 2020: “Grow, Nourish and Sustain Together:

Your Actions are your Future.”

v  Theme:

The COVID-19 global health crisis has been a time to reflect on things we truly cherish and our most basic needs. These uncertain times have made many of us regenerate our appreciation for a thing that some take for granted and many go without: food.

Here, Food is the essence of life and the basis of our cultures and communities. Preserving access to safe and nutritious food is and will continue to be an essential part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for poor and vulnerable communities, who are hit hardest by the pandemic and resulting economic shocks.

In a moment like this, it is more important than ever to recognize the need to support our food heroes - farmers and workers throughout the food system, who are making sure that food makes its way from farm to fork even amid disruptions as unprecedented as the current COVID-19 crisis.

Member Countries, the private sector and civil society need to make sure that our food systems grow a variety of food to nourish a growing population and sustain the planet, together.

We all have a role to play, from increasing the overall demand for nutritious food by choosing healthy, to not letting sustainable habits fall by the wayside, despite these uncertain times. Read more about how your everyday actions can make an impact

v  Time to Build:

During recent decades the world has made significant progress in improving agricultural productivity. Though we have more than enough food to feed everyone, our food systems are out of balance. Hunger, obesity, environmental degradation, loss of agro-biological diversity, post-harvest losses and a lack of adequate food chain are only some of the issues that underline this disparity.

World Food Day is calling for global harmony to help all populations, and especially the most vulnerable, to recover from the crisis, and to make food systems more resilient and robust so they can withstand increasing volatility and climate shocks, deliver affordable and sustainable healthy diets for all, and decent livelihoods for food system workers. This will require improved social protection schemes and new opportunities offered through digitalization and e-commerce, but also more sustainable agricultural practices that preserve the Earth’s natural resources, our health, and the climate.

v  Digital Technologies

Digital technologies are a vital key to transforming the way food is produced, processed, traded and consumed and building more resilient and robust food systems. New technologies promise revolutionary changes for smallholder farmers. It typically includes satellite imaging, remote sensing and mobile and block chain Apps with the potential to optimize food chains, increase access to nutritious foods, reduce post harvest losses, improve water management, fight against pests and diseases, monitor forests or prepare farmers for disasters.

Improved data analysis will also help governments in developing countries to make better decisions. FAO is ready to support countries as they identify partnerships to make this a reality, including investment opportunities from the private sector. This will be crucial to build the necessary infrastructure - broadband connections, data service providers – and to host data centres or cloud platforms that support big databases with vital information. FAO can offer sound technical advice on how better regulation and adequate training can pave the way to a digital future for food and agriculture.

v  Specific Duty:

Each and every individual across our food sector plays an important role in ensuring access toward nutritious food. Consumers have the power to influence what is produced through healthy food choices, which in turn contributes to more sustainable food systems. It is rather effective to maintain food safety across the globe.

Countries, decision-makers and private businesses need to accelerate and scale up actions to strengthen food systems and the livelihoods of people who work across the food system and make sure that food makes its way from farm to fork, despite challenges such as pandemics.

The Friends of World Food Day help to promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger, and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.

They come from various sectors –the private sector, mainstream and specialized media, international organizations, civil society, academia and more. Together they are using their influence and networks to make WFD an international success so that we achieve the Zero Hunger by 2030 as a Reality.

v  World Food Day Poster contest:

The competition is specifically for the different age groups lies from 05 to 19 years. The aim is to use your imagination and create a poster of your favourite food hero at work. Take a photo or scan your poster and submit your entry by filling out the form on our website. The deadline is 6 November 2020.

Three winners in each age category will be selected by our jury and announced here in December. Winners will be promoted by FAO offices around the world and receive a surprise gift bag and Certificate of Recognition. Link for the same is given below.

http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/contest/en/

v  Key Facts on WFD

Action Time: A steady increase in hunger since 2014 together with rising obesity, clearly indicates the need to accelerate and scale up actions to strengthen food systems and protect people's livelihoods.

Grow, Nourish, And Sustain: Today, only 09 plant species account for nearly 66% of total crop production, despite the fact that there are at least 30,000 edible plants. We need to grow a variety of food to nourish people and sustain the whole ecosystem.

Future Food Systems: Our future food systems need to provide affordable and healthy diets for all and decent livelihoods for food system workers, while preserving natural resources and biodiversity and tackling challenges such as climate change.

It acts as collaborative action of 150 countries is what makes World Food Day one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. They promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all.

World Food Day 2020 marks the 75^th anniversary of FAO in an exceptional moment as countries around the world deal with the widespread effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a time to look into the future we need to build together.

Reference Video:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDul7uf7pcbM_kWCEaA9WvA