World Food Day 2018: Our actions are our future
In Cambodia, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and partner organizations joint hands to celebrate this year World Food Day under the theme "Our actions are our future. A #ZeroHunger world by 2030 is possible". The ceremony took place on October 16, 2018 at Sopheas commune, Stuengtrang District, Kampong Cham province of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
It was three years ago that all UN Member Countries pledged to end poverty and hunger, when they committed to the Sustainable Development Goals. Paradoxically, global hunger has continued to increase since then. Nearly 820 million people suffer from undernourishment in 2017, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2018 report. At the same time, overweight and obesity levels are rapidly increasing.
The world is returning to levels from a decade ago. Conflict, extreme weather events linked to climate change and economic slowdown are reversing progress made in the fight against hunger.
Therefore, this year, the WFD takes place in a critical moment for the fight against hunger and malnutrition. It is the moment to redouble efforts to achieve the global goal of Zero Hunger through calling on the international community to work more closely together, and make use of the evidence and tools available.
FAO Representation in Cambodia has supported the government to develop its National Zero Hunger Challenge Action Plan, 2016–2025, which was launched in 2015. The National Action Plan was built and complemented existing specific and cross sector policies and strategies in response to the Royal Government of Cambodia’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDSs), especially, the SDG 2 “End hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture”, as mentioned by H.E Veng Sokhon, Minister of MAFF during his opening remark.
He also added that “This year celebration is part of the implementation of Rectangular Strategy Phase IV within the sixth mandate of the government in reforming agricultural framework to achieve expected results, including improving lives of rural farmers, who strongly depend on farming, supporting economic growth, ensuring equity and food security, promoting rural economic development, and reducing immigration and poverty.”
Despite the fact that governments have the most fundamental role in achieving zero hunger, it is achievable only if we join forces across nations, continents, sectors and professions, in the remaining years to 2030.
The FAO Representative in Cambodia, Mr. Alexandre Huynh stressed that “It requires all relevant actors, including government, civil society, UN organizations, private sector, farmers’ cooperatives, academia and all individuals to take action now to achieve zero hunger. Fighting for Zero Hunger is not limited to providing sufficient food to eat. We need to join forces to ensure that everyone has access to safe food with necessary nutrients for a healthy life, so that we can fully address all forms of malnutrition.”