World Food Day celebration in New York urges collective action to achieve Zero Hunger

“We committed to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030, it is now our responsibility to act and reverse the trend of increasing hunger and malnutrition that haunts us today,” said Carla Mucavi, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office to the UN, during an event to commemorate World Food Day held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Hosted by FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the event focused on the theme, “Our Actions Are Our Future: A Zero Hunger World by 2030 Is Possible,” and brought together practitioners, experts and government officials to share various initiatives contributing to Zero Hunger.

Celebrated annually on 16 October, World Food Day was marked by a rise in global hunger after decades of steady decline, which now affects 821 million people. The increase is due to a number of factors such as climate-related shocks, conflicts, poverty and economic downturns. 

In her opening remarks, Inga Rhonda King, seventy-fourth President of the Economic and Social Council, noted the alarming upward trends in hunger and obesity as well as the findings from the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warning the global community about the catastrophic consequences of inaction.

“As we witness it today, hunger can often be a man-made phenomenon. While this presents many challenges, it also shows that the answer is in our hands. The global food production is already large enough to ensure that no person goes hungry. We need to act in a way that is smarter and more sustainable,” King said.

Addressing the participants through a video message, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, urged all governments and their partners to renew the collective pledge to uphold the fundamental right to food and to leave no one behind.

“Let us commit to a world without hunger -- a world in which every person has access to a healthy, nutritious diet,” Guterres said.

The event also provided an exchange of diverse ideas on how to contribute to eradicating hunger and promoting sustainable food systems.

Sarah Campbell, family farmer and owner of New Roots Farm, highlighted some sustainable practices that food producers can employ to minimize environmental harm and conserve native species and healthy soil. She also shared her commitment to connect locally with other producers and consumers in order to support her community’s economy.

Amy Bruins, Director of Global Impact at Rise Against Hunger, informed the audience of her organization’s initiative to use the Guinness Book of World Records to raise awareness on hunger. Earlier in the day, Rise Against Hunger successfully broke the Guinness record for the largest number of people around the world packaging meals in five minutes. Bruins noted that this initiative was part of a multi-pronged approach used by her organization to show the world that it is possible to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030.

Kadijatou Ba, a high school youth volunteer at Harlem Grown, explained how the community food garden offers positive examples for the youth and seeks to inspire and impact the entire community through mentorship, job training, and partnerships to create sustainable change.

Pierre Thiam, chef, author and activist, shared his insights on fonio, an ancient grain that has been prized by farmers in West Africa for its rich nutrition and drought-resistant qualities. Drawing from his experience in cooking fonio and helping family farmers cultivate and market the grain, Thiam informed that consumers worldwide could look at incorporating fonio and other underutilized crops into their regimen as a way to diversify their diets. He added that  these efforts could also support smallholder family farmers by creating new markets for their products and generating additional income.