WORLD FOOD DAY- OCTOBER-16

WORLD FOOD DAY- OCTOBER-16

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.The World Food Day theme for 2014 is Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth”World Food Day (WFD) was established by FAO's Member Countries at the Organization's 20th General Conference in November 1945. The Hungarian Delegation, led by the former Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Pál Romány, played an active role at the 20th Session of the FAO Conference and suggested the idea of celebrating the WFD worldwide. It has since been observed every year in more than 150 countries, raising awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger.

UN food agency warned the number of starving people in the world is as high as 805 million, or one in nine, despite the overall figure falling by more than 100 million in the past decade.

“Two billion people suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies as a result of not eating a varied diet of protein,vitamins and minerals”

An estimated 26% of the world's children have had their growth stunted due to malnutrition, and two billion people suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies as a result of not eating a varied diet of protein, vitamins and minerals.

Overall, there have been improvements from last year, when the report showed around 842 million people went hungry – but there is still work to be done to end food insecurity.

Around 70% of food-insecure people live in rural areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East. The majority are farmers, in particular smallholders. So why are farmers, who provide food to the world, going hungry themselves?Family farmers need support to reduce food lossesWhile the answer is complex, the UN food agency highlights that by focusing on the needs of such family farmers, it is possible to reduce the global hunger problem significantly.

Many family farmers lack access to good seeds, adequate storage for crops, transportation and well-functioning markets, as well as financing. By supporting family farmers in these areas, it is possible to reduce food losses and increase farmers' incomes.

“Around 500 million out of the 570 million farms worldwide are family farms. Produce includes fruit, vegetables, grain, livestock and fisheries, as well as farms that harvest non-wood forest products.”With extensive and intimate knowledge of the land, its needs and production capacity, family farmers sustain high levels of productivity – despite having less access to agricultural inputs and support.In Brazil, family farmers provide an average of 40% of the production of major crops, while working on less than 25% of the farmland. In comparison, in the US, family farmers produce 84% of all produce, which totals $240bn (£150bn) in sales – while working on 78% of all farmland.

Around 500 million out of the 570 million farms worldwide are family farms. Produce includes fruit, vegetables, grain, livestock and fisheries, as well as farms that harvest non-wood forest products. The farms are managed and operated by a family, and rely predominantly on family labour.

On 16 October, organisations, such as the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, are asking people to take action and spread the word on just how critical family farms are to helping solve the problems of world hunger.

World Food Day has asked people to take a photo or create a video that depicts your appreciation, post it to social media using the hashtag #ToastAFarmer – to raise awareness of the work of farmers worldwide.

Prof. John Kurakar