“Our actions are our future and the future is in our hands! We can all become food heroes Do it for the people, do it for the land!” The song created for was written and produced by Garry McCarthy. Music & video produced by GMCBeats at The Kabin Studio. Lyrics performed by children in Armenia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Ireland & Lebanon.
Mozambique is one of the most disaster-prone places in the world. In a country where over 65 per cent of the population live in rural areas and most rely on agriculture as their source of income, the destruction caused by cyclones, droughts, floods, and pests affects millions of people. As a response to these challenges, and partners have launched an Emergency School Feeding Programme in Mozambique to promotes school attendance and participation among children in crisis-affected areas, while improving their access to healthy food.
Before food reaches our plates, it travels a long way. illustrates how every stage of that journey makes up our agri-food systems. Farming, fishing, livestock-rearing, storing, transporting, selling, buying, eating, and disposing of our food are all part of these complex systems. The systems also include all the non-food products that come from agriculture, like cotton and forest products. Our actions and choices can help these systems become more sustainable.
The wildlife-based tourism sector has been devastated by the effects of COVID-19. As tourism collapsed, related jobs and income were lost, conservation project funds were withdrawn, and as a result, poaching increased in many places around the world. These three consequences of COVID-19 were followed by a further knock-on effect: widespread food insecurity. Reversing degradation of land, soil, & forests is at the heart of ensuring people have enough to eat. It is also at the core of protecting wildlife. Read how are working to tackle both.
Who says children shouldn’t play in the kitchen? Cooking healthy food starts young in this Touch Smell Taste cooking class in Rome. The hands-on cooking lab, led by Naheda Slayih and supported by volunteers, invites visually impaired children to learn how to become young chefs and have a good time too.
Producers: Megan Williams, Charlotta Lomas, Anais Hotin, Marina Sánchez Castelo, Nina Coates.
Presenter: Megan Williams.
Photo: ©FAO/Cristiano Minichiello.
A sustainable agri-food system is one in which a variety of sufficient, nutritious and safe foods is available at an affordable price to everyone. Nobody goes hungry or suffers from any form of malnutrition. Nowadays, almost 40% of the world’s population cannot afford a healthy diet and 2 billion people are overweight or obese due to a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. We need to be part of the change. This World Food Day, join , , and !
Whether it’s made from glass, plastic, metal, paper or bamboo, packaging plays an important role in keeping food fresh, ensuring it is safe as well as extending its shelf-life to reduce loss and waste. A circular approach is key. Circular packaging solutions focus on a reduce-reuse-recycle approach, including minimising single-use plastic, encouraging the reuse and recycling of materials and improving the economics and quality of recycled plastics. suggests four better packaging solutions we can leverage to reduce food loss and waste.
Food is so much more than what we put into our bodies. At a human level it’s a deeply important part of our culture and history, tied to our sense of self, family and community. The food system has evolved considerably, from traditional methods that reflected location and culture to decentralized food chains with increased carbon demands. A new approach to supporting farmers is needed after a UNDP, FAO and UNEP report showed that agricultural subsidies cause market distortions that disadvantage small farmers, like this one in Kenya.
In 2013, Busy found out about ’s beekeeping course through one of his friends and decided to register to gain deeper knowledge and take his business to the next level. FAO’s three-week course armed him with critical information on the practical aspects of beekeeping, including building beehive boxes and mounting frames. With a strong determination, passion and “know-how”, Busy worked diligently in every aspect of the beekeeping trade, including planting trees and even encouraging his neighbours to grow vegetation so the bees could pollinate and collect nectar.
Global support to producers in the agricultural sector amounts to $540 billion per year, making up 15 percent of total agricultural production value. Yet 87 percent of this support is price distorting and environmentally and socially harmful. Reconfiguring agricultural producer support, rather than eliminating it, will help end poverty, eradicate hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, promote sustainable agriculture, foster sustainable consumption and production, mitigate the climate crisis, restore nature, limit pollution, and reduce inequalities.
There are many different kinds of journeys that food can take, some that guarantee a healthier future for people and the planet.
Thanks to its unique geographical conditions, including soil and weather, Jamaica produces some of the world’s best ginger. FAO has joined public and private sector bodies to protect the industry from a destructive disease, Ginger Rhizome Rot.
Peter Rabbit has joined forces with the UN Act Now campaign, , and the UN Foundation to enlist more food heroes, like Peter, who see the value in fruits and vegetables for a balanced diet and a healthier planet. Find out about some actions you can take to become a food hero too, from eating more fruits and vegetables to reducing food waste, buying locally grown food, or even growing your own at home.
Today, agricultural supply chains are more extensive than ever. Food crosses countries and oceans, moving from producers to retailers - to consumers. These dynamics create millions of jobs around the world - critical for livelihoods, economic growth, and development.