Efficient, well-managed and sustainable food systems are essential toend hunger and malnutrition as well as protect the environment, UnitedNations officials stressed on October 16, marking World Food Day.
“The key to better nutrition, and ultimately to ensuring each person’sright to food, lies in better food systems – smarter approaches,policies and investments encompassing the environment, people,institutions and processes by which agricultural products are produced,processed and brought to consumers in a sustainable manner,” saidSecretary General Ban Ki-moon.
“Every day, more than840 million people go hungry in a world of plenty. This fact aloneshould be cause for moral outrage and concerted action,” he said in hismessage for the day.
“Sustainable Food Systemsfor Food Security and Nutrition” is the theme for this year's observanceof World Food Day, which is celebrated annually on 16 October, the daywhen FAO was established in 1945.
A food system ismade up of the environment, people, institutions and processes by whichagricultural products are produced, processed and brought to consumers.Every aspect of the food system has an effect on the final availabilityand accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods – and therefore onconsumers’ ability to choose healthy diets. However, policies andinterventions on food systems are rarely designed with nutrition astheir primary objective.
“On this World Food Day, wehave a simple but important message that can underpin our efforts toend hunger: Healthy people depend on healthy food systems. Efficient,well-managed sustainable food systems provide the diverse and nutritiousdiet we need to end hunger and malnutrition. At the same time, theyprotect our natural resources, ” FAO Director-General José Graziano daSilva said in a message on the World Food Day
TheWorld Food Programme (WFP) stressed that understanding food systems andending malnutrition can transform individuals, societies and economies,and is central to all development efforts. “Prioritizing nutrition todayis an investment in our collective global future. The investment mustinvolve food, agriculture, health and education systems,” said WFPExecutive Director Ertharin Cousin.
In addition tothe 840 million people suffering from chronic hunger, there are some 2billion people who lack the vitamins and minerals needed to live healthylives. Poor nutrition also means some 1.4 billion people areoverweight, with about one-third obese and at risk of coronary heartdisease, diabetes or other health problems.
WFPnoted that if the global community invested 1.2 billion USD per year forfive years on reducing micronutrient deficiencies, the benefits inbetter health, fewer child deaths and increased future earnings wouldgenerate gains worth 15.3 billion USD.-VNA
“The key to better nutrition, and ultimately to ensuring each person’sright to food, lies in better food systems – smarter approaches,policies and investments encompassing the environment, people,institutions and processes by which agricultural products are produced,processed and brought to consumers in a sustainable manner,” saidSecretary General Ban Ki-moon.
“Every day, more than840 million people go hungry in a world of plenty. This fact aloneshould be cause for moral outrage and concerted action,” he said in hismessage for the day.
“Sustainable Food Systemsfor Food Security and Nutrition” is the theme for this year's observanceof World Food Day, which is celebrated annually on 16 October, the daywhen FAO was established in 1945.
A food system ismade up of the environment, people, institutions and processes by whichagricultural products are produced, processed and brought to consumers.Every aspect of the food system has an effect on the final availabilityand accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods – and therefore onconsumers’ ability to choose healthy diets. However, policies andinterventions on food systems are rarely designed with nutrition astheir primary objective.
“On this World Food Day, wehave a simple but important message that can underpin our efforts toend hunger: Healthy people depend on healthy food systems. Efficient,well-managed sustainable food systems provide the diverse and nutritiousdiet we need to end hunger and malnutrition. At the same time, theyprotect our natural resources, ” FAO Director-General José Graziano daSilva said in a message on the World Food Day
TheWorld Food Programme (WFP) stressed that understanding food systems andending malnutrition can transform individuals, societies and economies,and is central to all development efforts. “Prioritizing nutrition todayis an investment in our collective global future. The investment mustinvolve food, agriculture, health and education systems,” said WFPExecutive Director Ertharin Cousin.
In addition tothe 840 million people suffering from chronic hunger, there are some 2billion people who lack the vitamins and minerals needed to live healthylives. Poor nutrition also means some 1.4 billion people areoverweight, with about one-third obese and at risk of coronary heartdisease, diabetes or other health problems.
WFPnoted that if the global community invested 1.2 billion USD per year forfive years on reducing micronutrient deficiencies, the benefits inbetter health, fewer child deaths and increased future earnings wouldgenerate gains worth 15.3 billion USD.-VNA
