Context: World Food Day is celebrated on 16th October every year to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Food and Agriculture organisation (FAO).

What is the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)? Celebrating Food Security and Global Unity

• Food and Agriculture organisation (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nation that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. 
• Aim: To achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead an active, healthy life. 
• Membership: It has 194 countries and the European Union. 
• Initiator: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) executes the observance of World Food Day. It coordinates global initiatives to raise awareness about food security and hunger-related issues, fostering collaboration

Inception to Celebration: World Food Day’s Journey

• FIrst Proposal: World Food Day was suggested in 1979 by former Hungarian minister of agriculture and food Dr Pal Romany. 
• Adoption of Resolution:In November 1979, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) adopted Resolution to observe World Food Day every year on 16 October. 
• First Celebration: World Food Day was celebrated for the first time in 1981.

Empowering Through Food: World Food Day’s Mission

• Appreciate the food we eat: Emphasising the need for mindful consumption and reduced wastage to ensure a sustainable future for all
• Encourage healthy, nutritious, and quality diets for all.
• To raise awareness about the problem of hunger affecting 9.2% of the world population.
• Discuss emerging challenges to world food production systems like climate change, land degradation, water shortage.

Theme of World Food Day 2023

• Theme: “Water is life, Water is food. Leave no one Behind.”
• Significance of Theme: 
  • Only 2.5% of total water is fresh.
  • Water Management in Agriculture: On World Food Day, it is important to note that agriculture alone accounts for 72% of global freshwater withdrawals, underscoring the critical role of water in food production and the significance of its sustainable management
  • Freshwater resources per person have declined by 20% in the past decade.
  • 2.4 billion people live in water stressed countries 
  • On world food day it is important to understand that around 600 million people who depend, at least partially, on aquatic food systems are suffering effects of pollution, ecosystem degradation, and climate change

Understanding the Global Food Crisis on World Food Day: Key Contributing Factors

• Poverty: Poverty and hunger both fuel and reinforce each other. Poverty prevents access to adequate food resources that inhibits human development.
• Increasing population: Population growth along with increased income has been an important driver of increased food demand.
• Inequality: Hunger is more prevalent in rural areas at 33.3% compared to 26% in areas. The Gender Hunger Gap is still 2.4%.
• Dietary Choices: Preference for meat and exotic foods has led to increased demand for land, water and fertilisers.
• Food wastage: Almost 1 billion tonnes of food- 17% of all food available to consumers worldwide is thrown away each year.
• Land use Change: On World Food Day, it is critical to address that Urbanisation, desertification, salinization, deforestation, commercial plantation are all reducing the availability and variability of food.
• Climate Change: Submergence of coastal lands, land degradation and erratic weather events have reduced food availability.
  • Since 2000, flood-related disasters have increased by 134% and the number and duration of draughts increased by 29%
• Conflict: Episodes like Russia-Ukraine conflict, political instability in West Asian and Africa has led to severe malnourishment in these regions and also affected global food supply leading to lower availability and higher prices.

Empowering Food Security on World Food Day: Diversification, Technology, and Local Wisdom

• Diversify farming: Farmers should be encouraged to engage in non-crop agriculture (eg. Poultry, fishing, beekeeping) to insure against loss of income.
• Reducing food loss and wastage: This helps in stabilising availability even if overall production is reduced.
• Using Technology: Technological tools  like Early Warning Systems, sensors, drones  can help in better decision making by farmers and governments.
• Improve relief response: Improved insurance schemes for crops and animals and rapid relief during natural calamities can help reduce distress.
• Advocating Crop Diversification on World Food Day: Moving ahead of present monoculture practice to a much more diversified cultivation practice. 
  • Encourage local hardy varieties like coarse cereals and promote research for flood, draught, and salt resistant seed varieties.
• Using Local and Indigenous knowledge: Need to respect and catalogue traditional knowledge and develop best practices eg. Kuttanad Below Sea Level Farming system of Kerala.

Conclusion

• As per FAO, around 600 million people will be chronically undernourished in 2030. This will hamper sustainable development and create a poverty trap from which people cannot easily escape. Collaboration is pertinent for governments across the world on  world food day to come together to confront the persistent challenge of hunger and ensure a life of dignity to all people.