By Faridat Salifu
At the 2024 World Food Day global ceremony, Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), highlighted a critical global challenge: over 2.8 billion people are unable to afford healthy diets.
This stark statistic underscores the deep-rooted issues plaguing global food systems, where nutritious and diverse foods remain beyond reach for many.
Themed “Right to ‘Foods’ for a Better Life and a Better Future,” this year’s World Food Day stressed the importance of food diversity, nutrition, affordability, and safety.
Dongyu emphasized that malnutrition exists across all socio-economic classes, even in high-income countries where people increasingly rely on convenient but unhealthy food options.
According to the FAO, the current state of agrifood systems is largely to blame. The organization noted that the systems are failing to provide sufficient affordable nutritious foods, leaving millions vulnerable to hunger and poor diets. FAO figures indicate that 730 million people are facing hunger globally, a figure that demonstrates the urgent need for reform in food production and distribution.
Dongyu called for renewed efforts to build agrifood systems that are more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.
He outlined the need for governments to incentivize the production and sale of nutritious foods, while also encouraging healthier consumption habits. He also stressed the importance of balancing increased food production with environmental conservation, advocating for methods that protect biodiversity and reduce the ecological impact of agriculture.
The FAO chief further highlighted the role of technological innovation—such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and digital agriculture—in transforming food systems.
He urged the private sector to become more actively involved in producing and promoting diverse, healthy food options, stressing that governments alone cannot solve the problem.
Addressing the younger generation, Dongyu called for greater involvement in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, framing it as a fundamental human right. His message was clear: without decisive action to overhaul global food systems, the world cannot achieve food security or build peaceful, healthy communities.
