“Founded by the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945.” World Food Day,” has been observed annually, every year on October 16TH, since 1981.”
FAO has three main goals: “to eradicate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, the elimination of poverty, and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all.”
Every year, malnutrition kills five million children. One child will die every six-seconds. And with our increasing and heightened awareness of climate change, the need for sustainable agriculture is more important than ever.
Here in Canada, the largest World Food Day event is celebrated in Langley, British Columbia and headed up by the Executive Director of “Food for Famine Society,” Maria Martini. Of course, there are many events being organized all over the world to bring awareness to those desperately in need of ongoing support.
In the western world, we often think of severe hunger and poverty as a concern of those underdeveloped nations, such as the smaller countries on the Continent of Africa. We forget that there is poverty in our own “backyards,” and that there are children who go to school without eating a basic breakfast. How can a child possibly learn with an empty belly?
The fact is, the world does produce enough food, but worldwide, one-third of that food is either lost or wasted. “Investing in sustainable food systems and rural development means addressing some of the major global challenges, from feeding the world’s growing population to protecting the global climate, and tackling some of the root causes of migration and displacement.”
Bob Geldof, the former lead vocalist for The Boomtown Rats, definitely shone a bright light on the issue back in the 1980s when he organized “Live Aid,” to co-inside with the British fund-raising hit “Do They Know it’s Christmas.” International musical acts, such as U2, Dire Straits, and Queen, came together to raise awareness and funds for (specifically) Ethiopian famine relief.
Though it was a valiant effort, this kind of larger than life event is often a “band-aid” solution and doesn’t tackle the systemic problems, such as the need for resources for sustainable food and clean water supply. This is why “World Food Day” is so incredibly important. Here in Canada, we’ve just celebrated our Thanksgiving (our American friends celebrate on November 23rd). Many of us had the blessed fortune of sharing a bountiful meal with friends or family. There are organizations in every city that could use either monetary assistance or donations of food.
For information where you can donate please contact: [email protected]
For more information on World Food Day please go to foodforfamine.org
