World Food Day 2021: History, theme, and significance
New Delhi: The World Food Day is celebrated on October 16 every year to mark the establishment of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in 1979, with the aim to generate worldwide awareness on the importance of a healthy diet and combat hunger issues faced in many countries.
The FAO raised awareness on hunger, malnutrition, sustainability, and food production. The UN agency organized its first Food Systems Summit in September 2021 under the Convention of the UN Secretary-General. It revealed about 40 percent of the world’s population failed to afford a healthy diet, even though the agricultural food systems employ over one billion people annually.
The world’s food systems handle 33 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, while inadequate harvesting, handling, storage, and transportation contribute to 14 percent of the world’s food wastage. The meeting concluded that nearly two million people are obese and overweight because of sedentary lifestyles.
Meanwhile, UNICEF said that three million Afghan children under 5 years’ age might suffer from malnourishment by the end of 2021.
The theme for 2021, Food Heroes, celebrates individuals who contributed or are working towards building a hunger-free world. The FAO theme emphasizes individuals can also be food heroes.
A recent Global Hunger Index survey revealed India ranked at 101 out of 116 taking part nations. The statistics showed the highest number of child-wasting in India as one of the major causes.
According to the FAO, one can become a Food Hero and avoid food wastage by following certain habits. One should prefer a healthy diet over processed foods. Hinting at a balanced diet, FAO tweeted, “Our food choices impact food production, our nutrition, the environment, and our lives. We can all be Food Heroes for a better and more sustainable world! Our actions are our future!”
Therefore, one should select sustainable and environment-friendly foods by reading ingredients before buying in required quantities, to improve food storage and lessen wastage. People can also recycle vegetable waste and reuse old water, and support small greengrocers to nurture local ecosystems.
(Avya Mathur)
