Jordan celebrates World Food Day during first Dates Festival

22 October 2018, Amman, Jordan- Today FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP) have joined forces with partners and the Ministry of Agriculture to commemorate World Food Day in Jordan.

The celebrations took place during Jordan’s first Dates Festival, sponsored by UAE’s Khalifa Award to highlight the importance of producing high quality dates using minimal amounts of water. The event was under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Talal.

Jordanian and immigrant beneficiaries participated in the celebration by displaying products that they made with the help of FAO and WFP. This year’s event highlights the importance of tackling food insecurity in partnership with all key actors.  

World Food Day is celebrated globally on 16 October to mark the founding date of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945. This key international day is celebrated by governments, local authorities, and partners, in over 130 countries across the world, calling on all nations to increase action to achieve Zero Hunger.

 “Our Actions are our Future. A #ZeroHunger world by 2030 is possible” is the theme of the commemoration. It communicates a relevant message to the people and all key players, especially that after a period of decline, world hunger is on the rise again.

According to the latest FAO report, over 815 million people are suffering chronic undernourishment today, which is a consequence of factors such as conflict, climate change, and economic recession. Additionally, unhealthy lifestyles and the rapid increase of obesity levels are reversing the progress made in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. 1.9 billion people, more than a quarter of the world’s population, are overweight. Countries need to get back on track, act on evidence, and tackle the root causes of hunger and malnutrition to ensure healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for all. They need to target rural populations, promote pro-poor investment and growth, and address rising overweight and obesity levels by devising national strategies that promote synergies between nutrition and food security, rural development, social protection, sustainable agriculture, climate change, biodiversity, health and education. Jordan is scrupulously monitoring the number of food insecure, nutrition status and livelihood status with its Household Survey. It knows where the poverty pockets are and how to address them.