Event World Day
World Food Day 2024
World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October. We all have a role to play to realize the vision of a world without hunger and malnutrition. We must not let sustainable habits fall by the wayside in times of crisis. We can make healthy food choices and do our part to reduce food waste. In addition, governments, enterprises, and organizations can share their knowledge and support sustainable, resilient food systems and livelihoods. Together, we can grow, nourish, and sustain our world.
2024 Theme: Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future
World Food Day 2024 is celebrated under the theme ‘Right to foods for a better life and a better future‘.
The world’s farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population yet, hunger persists. Around 733 million people are facing hunger in the world due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns, inequality, and the pandemic. This impacts the poor and vulnerable most severely, many of whom are agricultural households, reflecting widening inequalities across and within countries. Food is the third most basic human need after air and water – everyone should have the right to adequate food. Human rights such as the right to food, life and liberty, work and education are recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two legally binding international covenants.
‘Foods’ stands for diversity, nutrition, affordability, accessibility and safety. A greater diversity of nutritious foods should be available in our fields, fishing nets, markets, and on our tables, for the benefit of all.
Over 2.8 billion people in the world are unable to afford a healthy diet. Unhealthy diets are the leading cause of all forms of malnutrition – undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity, which now exist in most countries, cutting across socio-economic classes. Yet today, too many people suffer from hunger and are unable to afford healthy diets. More vulnerable people are often forced to rely on staple foods or less expensive foods that can be unhealthy, while others suffer from the unavailability of fresh or varied foods, lack the information they need to choose a healthy diet, or simply opt for convenience.
Hunger and malnutrition are further exacerbated by protracted or prolonged crises that are driven by a combination of conflict, extreme weather events and economic shocks. Agrifood systems, as a whole, are vulnerable to disasters and crises, particularly the impacts of climate change but at the same time, they are generating pollution, degrading soil, water and air, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. By transforming agrifood systems, there is great potential to mitigate climate change and support peaceful, resilient and inclusive livelihoods for all.
Food Systems and the Environment
The way we produce and consumer food is deeply connected to our environment. While food is of course at the center of SDG2 – Zero Hunger, it is also an important component to achieve all Sustainable Development Goals. Transforming our food systems is essential to address the triple planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution that we are facing today.
Role of Geneva
Our dedicated page on Food Systems and the Environment dives deeper into issues at this nexus and lists relevant actions and actors in the Geneva region. Find out more below.
World Food Forum 2024
The World Food Forum (WFF), launched in 2021 as an independent network of partners hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), serves as the premier global platform to actively shape agrifood systems for a better food future, accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through youth action, science and innovation, and investment, the WFF forges new paths of action and multi-sector partnerships for agrifood impact at the local, regional and global levels to achieve a more sustainable, resilient, inclusive and hunger-free future for all.
WFF annual flagship event will be held from 14 to 18 October at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy, and online. It will bring together world experts, impassioned changemakers and visionary leaders of all ages around the theme: “Good food for all, for today and tomorrow”.
Events
Women and Girls Empowerment leading the change towards agrifood systems
14 October 2024 | 13:30 – 15:00 CEST
Online
Social Protection Dialogue | World Food Day: The human right to adequate food
15 October 2024 | 09:30 – 11:00 CEST
World Food Day 2024 in Geneva: Jeu de piste
16 October 2024 | 11:00 – 17:00 CEST
Café du Musée d’ethnographie de Genève
FAO, Ma-terre Association and the Fondation Partage
Bridging the Micronutrient Gap: Global action for a healthier future
16 October 2024 | 15:00 – 15:45 CEST
GAIN Alliance
Illumination of Jet d’eau
16 October 2024
Catch me if you can: World Food Day posters at Swiss Train stations
Find World Food Day posters at the train stations around Switzerland, share them on social media and tag FAO Geneva Liaison Office, or send us a photo of the poster to LOG-Communication@fao.org.
World Food Day celebrations at the UN Cafeteria
14 – 18 October 2024
Join the World Food Day celebrations at the UN Geneva Cafeteria, the cafeteria of UNOG (Eldora) will be preparing menus based on key products that are essential for diet of people in different continents and for their socio-economic development and wellbeing.
World Food Day Poster Contest
Join the World Food Day Poster Contest and show us your creativity! Design a poster that symbolizes your favorite dish or recipe, representing the importance of diverse, nutritious, safe and affordable foods.
Take a photo or scan your poster and submit your entry by filling out the form on the website. Three winners in each age category will be selected by our jury and announced here in December. Winners will be promoted by FAO offices around the world and receive a certificate and surprise gift bag.
To participate, you must be aged 5 – 19. The deadline for entries is 8 November 2024.