World Food Day 2013: Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition

    | October 14, 2013

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    The United Nations celebrates World Food Day on October 16. This year’s focus is “Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition.”

    Almost 870 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished. Unsustainable development is degrading the natural environment and threatening global ecosystems, along with the biodiversity that will be needed for the world’s future food supply.

    The World Food Day website features resources and links to related topics, and can be accessed through this address: http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/home/en/

    In keeping with the theme of the Day, the United Nations suggests considering the following questions:

    What would a sustainable food system look like?

    Is it possible to get from here to there?

    What would need to change to move us in that direction?

    Why not raise these questions with a panel of local farmers and extension agents in your listening community? Ask your listeners to call in with their opinions about what is and what is not sustainable. You could also ask children what they want from the future. The Day is an opportunity to explore these and other questions, and help bring about a sustainable future for all.

    There is a World Food Day poster available for download at this link: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/getinvolved/images/low-res-WFD-EN.pdf