Together, we can ensure people worldwide get the right to food

Cosmas Limo, a trader, in Eldoret town. [File, Standard]

This year the theme for World Food Day is 'Right to foods for a better life and a better future'. It’s a timely reminder that all people have the right to adequate foods.

But how do we get from a right to a reality? And why is it so important to think about not just having sufficient food, but also the diversity of diets? That’s why we speak of 'foods' emphasising this diversity, as well as food availability, food accessibility and food affordability for all.

Right now, the world’s farmers produce more than enough food to feed the global population in terms of calories. Yet around 730 million people are facing hunger due to man-made and natural disasters, including conflict, recurrent weather shocks, inequalities and economic downturns.

Another harsh reality is that over 2.8 billion people in the world are unable to afford a healthy diet, which is a leading cause of all forms of malnutrition.

Simply put, almost one third of the global population is not getting the nutrients and micro-nutrients they need to thrive and, in some cases, survive. This means that the quality of life for roughly half the world is more urgently in need of improvement.

We need a greater diversity of nutritious and affordable foods to be available in our fields, fishing nets, markets and on our tables for the benefit of all. This is not just about populations’ nutritional requirements, but also about ensuring that our agrifood systems are efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable so that they can be respectful of traditional food cultures and healthy diets based on science and in line with personal preferences.

Another crucial consideration is the long-term health and sustainability of the environment on which we rely to produce these foods and which needs biodiversity to thrive.

The right to foods will not in itself fill stomachs or put more diverse diets on plates. But it does help frame our collective aspirations for the kind of just and equitable world we want to live in. It creates concrete obligations for governments and key partners to fulfill, and it should encourage all of us to do our part to ensure it is realised.

In conflict zones, access to foods is being disrupted, leading to malnutrition and hunger. In these and other hunger hotspots, FAO’s efforts are focused on rebuilding agricultural infrastructure to ensure food availability and accessibility for long-term food security, with all tools and channels.

In many places, dietary changes and market concentration driven by globalisation have led to increased health issues, including obesity and diabetes. School feeding programmes play an important role in helping address these challenges, as they source food from local farmers and ensure children receive nutritious meals.

Farmers can make a difference by practicing sustainable agriculture that enhances biodiversity and manages natural resources responsibly. Businesses can make nutritious and diverse foods available more affordably. Academia and civil society can hold governments accountable by collecting data, identifying areas for improvement, implementing scientech. solutions and measuring progress towards targets.

Science and innovation including IT, Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Agriculture, and others, will be a decisive force for agrifood systems transformation.

Dr Dongyu is the Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations