The celebration of the 37^th World Food Day and the 27^th National Love Food and Save Food Publicity Week kicked off at China Agriculture University on 16 October of 2017. The event was jointly organized by the State Administration of Grain, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, All-China Women’s Federation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It was held to honor and award individuals recognized as models of saving food and conduct the launch ceremony of the“Good Food Project”. It was an occasion to honor and award individuals recognized as models for producing safe and quality food as well as to launch the programme entitled “Good-quality Grain Programme”

This year's theme focuses on addressing migration through investing in food security and rural development.  “Migration is part of the process of development as economies undergo structural transformation and people search for better employment opportunities within and across countries.  Recent statistics tell that, in 2015, there were 244 million international migrants. In the context of China, rural migrants alone registered as 282 million in 2016. Investing in sustainable rural development, climate change adaptation and resilient rural livelihoods is an important part of the global response to the current migration challenge," FAO representative in China Vincent Martin said today at the celebration event.This year's theme focuses on addressing migration through investing in food security and rural development.  “Migration is part of the process of development as economies undergo structural transformation and people search for better employment opportunities within and across countries.  Recent statistics tell that, in 2015, there were 244 million international migrants. In the context of China, rural migrants alone registered as 282 million in 2016,"  Invest in sustainable rural development, climate change adaptation and resilient rural livelihoods is an important part of the global response to the current migration challenge," FAO representative in China Vincent Martin said today at the celebration event.

“A wealth of initiatives in the fields of San Nong (the “three agriculture”), implemented by the Chinese government, such as the ‘Good-quality Grain Programme’ that we are going to inaugurate later today, play a significant role in promoting rural development and increasing rural livelihoods, therefore contribute to address the root causes of migration in rural areas and harness the developmental potential of migration,” added Martin.

Tang Shengyao, the deputy director of the Department of International Affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture, attended the event. “According to the statistics from FAO, one out of every seven people in the world are migrant. War conflicts, hunger and poverty, and climate change are the main drivers for migration. To ensure food security for migrants, a twin-track track approach should be used: one is to increase agriculture investment, promote green agricultural technology to boost productivity, optimize the food supply and distribution, and reduce external drivers for migration; the other is to provide necessary support for migrants to engage in agricultural activities or find employment in relocated areas,” said Tang Shengyao.

During the celebration, Tang Shengyao, Vincent Martin, and Caroline Legros, deputy director of the World Food Programme in China presented awards to those who won the title of “Star in Saving Food”. During the celebration, Tang Shengyao, Vincent Martin, and Caroline Legros, deputy director of the World Food Programme in China presented awards to those who won the title of “Star in Saving Food”.

During the celebration, Tang Shengyao, Vincent Martin, and Caroline Legros, deputy director of the World
Food Programme in China presented awards to those who won the title of “Star in Saving Food”.