World Food Day: worth celebrating?

Picture source: FAO

It is yet another solemn year to move in line with the formalities of celebrating World Food Day in the midst of escalating famines, hunger and hard-hitting malnutrition levels in developing economies. The question that begs: Is World Food Day worth celebrating?

World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the date of the founding of FAO in 1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity" (resolution 35/70 of 5 December 1980).

Today marks another moment to take a hard look at global policies toward ensuring food security and consequently eradicating hunger. The theme for this year "Agriculture cooperatives: key to feeding the world" acknowledges the significance of farmers' cooperatives in agriculture production. Cooperatives remain a key strategy toward ameliorating existing state of small-holder farming in developing countries.

With the challenges and inherent constraints that have characterized agriculture, World Food Day should aim at consciously addressing the escalating issues of famine, high food prices and worsening living of small-holder farmers.

World Food Day should be celebrated with the deepest sense of hope of reducing famine, hunger and increasing levels of malnutrition in developing countries.

By: Stephen Yeboah, Development Journalist and Practitioner, Geneva.