Sustainable food systems key to end hunger, malnutrition

UN chief Ban Ki-moon spotlighted the vital role of efficient, well-managed and sustainable food systems in ending hunger and malnutrition while marking the World Food Day which falls on Wednesday.

In a message for the occasion, the UN Secretary-General said, " Every day, more than 840 million people go hungry in a world of plenty. This fact alone should be cause for moral outrage and concerted action."

He said that "the key to better nutrition, and ultimately to ensuring each person's right to food, lies in better food systems Smarter approaches, policies and investments encompassing the environment, people, institutions and processes by which agricultural products are produced, processed and brought to consumers in a sustainable manner."

According to UN figures, In addition to the 840 million people suffering from chronic hunger, there are some 2 billion people who lack the vitamins and minerals needed to live healthy lives. Poor nutrition also means some 1.4 billion people are overweight, with about one-third obese and at risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes or other health problems.

The theme of this year's World Food Day, which is celebrated on Oct. 16 in honor of the date of the founding of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945, is "Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition."

To mark the Day, FAO will be holding events all week at its headquarters in Rome and around the world on the importance of food systems for food security and nutrition.