FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) published the World Food Day 2018 Activity Book on ‘Working for Zero Hunger.’
Did you know that there are 815 million people in the world that go to bed hungry, while 1.9 billion people are overweight?
The world has set a challenge to achieve Zero Hunger and better nutrition by 2030. But governments can’t do it alone – everyone has a role to play.
Come on the Zero Hunger journey with me to discover what each of us -governments, farmers, businesses and the general public- have to do to reach this goal. Learn how you can become part of the Zero Hunger Generation!
The Zero Hunger Goal (#ZeroHunger) is at the heart of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. But, FAO and all governments involved in the most important mission for our planet won’t make it unless everybody makes an effort. The special ingredient for true and everlasting change is… people! And this means you too!
World hunger is sadly on the rise: an FAO report shows that in 2016 there were 38 million more people suffering from hunger than in 2015. Every day, over 800 million people struggle to get any food at all, and risk starvation. That’s more than the inhabitants of Indonesia, the USA and Pakistan put together!
The Zero Hunger mission aims to reduce that staggering figure down to ZERO. Brazil was the first country to take the challenge in 2003 when the government helped millions of people out of poverty and hunger.
FAO has been helping countries to fight hunger since 1945. Zero Hunger is still FAO’s number 1 mission, and these are the ingredients we need to make it happen:
1. Food security: to guarantee access to healthy food for everyone, every day. Our Earth is capable of feeding us all: it’s down to human beings to distribute food fairly, leaving no one empty-handed!
2. Good nutrition: to make sure that people get all the nutrients they need to live well, and encourage responsible, environmentally-friendly eating habits. This will restore the balance between those who eat too much or badly, and those who don’t get enough food.
3. Sustainable agriculture: the use of fields, forests, oceans, and all natural resources essential for food production, without damaging the planet. Sustainable, because food production has to respect the environment, with all the people and animals who live in it or our resources will not last!
4. Poverty eradication: since poverty is often the direct cause of malnutrition, even in countries where food is available in supermarkets. People who can’t afford healthy food, or food in general, tend to get ill more easily. Basically, a healthy lifestyle is the result of social and economic progress!