World Food Day: Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World

Phnom Penh:  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), and partner organizations are to join hands to celebrate the World Food Day  on 19 October 2019 at Svayluong Commune, Kandieng District, Pursat Province.

This year’s theme is to call on everyone to start thinking about what we eat and take action now to achieve healthier diets.  

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report 2019 found that the number of undernourished people in the world is increasing. Globally, more than 820 million people, or roughly one in nine people, are going hungry. Most are living in the Asia-Pacific region.

Being well-nourished or malnourished isn’t only a matter of quantity, or how much we eat. It is also a question of quality, which relies on what we eat. Despite good progress, many challenges remain for achieving food security and improved nutrition in Cambodia. These include geographical and demographic variation related to malnutrition, and with significant areas of concerns including increasing problems for obesity and overweight.

There are a number of reasons behind these troubling trends. People have dramatically changed their diets and eating habits as a result of globalization, urbanization and income growth. They have moved from seasonal, mainly plant-based and fiber-rich dishes to foods high in sugar, salt and fat, including junk food.

Moreover, in the way our food systems currently work, from agricultural production to processing and retailing, there is little space for fresh, locally produced foods as high-yielding and profitable crops take priority. Consumers, especially in urban areas, increasingly rely on supermarkets, fast food outlets, street food vendors and take-away restaurants.

Globally, intensified food production, combined with climate change, are amongst the main causes of a rapid loss of biodiversity. Today, only nine plant species account for 66% of the total crop production despite the fact that throughout history, more than 6 000 species have been cultivated for food.

To tackle these problems, a wide variety of crops is crucial for providing healthy diets, while safeguarding biodiversity and the environment must be promoted. Food systems have to be modified through good practices, innovation and technology so that they can use and safeguard vital natural resources such as water and soils in a more efficient way.

Zero Hunger and nutrition are always at the heart of FAO’s mandate, working to ensure that people have access to sufficient and quality food to lead active and healthy lives.

In Cambodia, FAO has supported the government to develop its National Zero Hunger Challenge Action Plan, 2016–2025. Cambodia is part of the FAO regional Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative through capacity building, technical support for policy dialogue, and evidence-based studies on aspects of crop diversity related to dietary diversity and malnutrition. 

Mr Alexandre Huynh, FAO Representative in Cambodia, points out, “It requires all relevant actors, including the government, civil society, UN agencies, the private sector, farmers, academia and every individual to take action now to achieve zero hunger.” 

He further explains that “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.”  

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For media inquiries please contact Ms. Tet Chann, Communication Officer, UNFAO in Cambodia,  

Tel: 011 276 775, Email: [email protected]