World Food Day - October 16

Flickr | Oxfam International

WORLD FOOD DAY, October 16 - Helping To Create A Peaceful, Sustainable, Prosperous, & Food-Secure Future

Discover the insipring event World Food Day and learn how you can get involved. Despite producing enough food for everyone on the planet, over 700 million people still face chronic hunger and malnutrition due to conflict, climate impacts, and broken distribution systems.

Connect with valuable resources, initiatives, and organisations to raise awareness, support humanitarian campaigns, and advocate for sustainable, fair, and resilient food security for a hunger-free future.

Jump straight to our resources on ➡️ World Food Day

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General Information

World Food Day commemorates the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on October 16, 1945. Established to raise awareness of global hunger and promote food security, the day serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against global hunger. The year 2025 marks the FAO's 80th anniversary.

Food Day calls for global collaboration among governments, organisations, industry, and communities to ensure that a healthy diet, which is in harmony with our planet, is available to everyone.

Expore our comprehensive guides on agriculture in developing countries, the impact of climate change on agriculture, Big Meat, the global food crisis, methane emissions, and vegans and vegetarians.

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We support the #ShareTheMeal Initiative by the UN World Food Programme, and invite you to do the same.

"The first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all mankind. Food is the moral right of all who are born into this world." – Norman Borlaug, Nobel Prize-winning biologist and humanitarian.

The World Food Programme | CC BY-SA 4.0

How Bad Is The Global Food Crisis?

Sustainable Development Goal 2 – Zero Hunger aims to create a world free from hunger by 2030. Devastatingly, progress towards this goal has stalled due to a combination of factors, including conflict, economic crisis, funding shortfalls, weak policies, and the worsening effects of climate change. In 2024, more than 730 million people were enduring chronic hunger. The numbers have risen notably in Africa.

• More than 3 billion people (40% of the world's population) cannot afford a healthy diet.

• Almost 2 billion people are overweight or obese due to a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle.

• Despite such high levels of global hunger, one-third of the food we produce is then wasted.

• Hunger has a gender issue - 60% of those facing food insecurity are women.

• The vulnerability of our food systems was exposed when the Covid-19 pandemic plunged 122 million more people into hunger.

• The Russian war in Ukraine exposed further vulnerabilities, causing widespread disruptions and price hikes in the world's supply of grains, cereals and fertilisers.

• The world's agrifood systems employ 1 billion people - more than any other sector.

• The world's food systems account for more than 33% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

World Food Day is an essential tool for drawing global attention to the persistent issue of hunger. By highlighting challenges such as climate change, conflict, and economic instability, it calls for collective action and policy development to eradicate hunger and the associated issues in our supply chains.

Statista | CC BY-ND 4.0

2025 Theme - Hand In Hand For Better Foods & A Better Future

This year's theme recognises that our food systems are out of balance and stresses the urgent need for a rebalance. Abundance and absence coexist, often side by side. Whilst parts of the world grapple with daily hunger and lack of nutrition, other parts are struggling with an obesity crisis and rising levels of food waste.

To achieve this, the UNFAO are encouraging a collaborative and cooperative effort from local farmers to the government level to tackle these issues directly and ensure no one is left behind. By transforming our agrifood systems into sustainable, inclusive, and peaceful ones, we can live in greater harmony with our planet and deliver a secure, healthy diet to everyone.

How To Get Involved In World Food Day

Participating in World Food Day celebrations is easy, from joining local events and educational workshops to global campaigns on social media. Individuals can volunteer with organisations such as soup kitchens, food pantries, or other charities.

We can use the day to contact our local governments to advocate for policy change, or even share our social media posts to help spread the word. Schools and universities are often centres for Food Day activities that play an essential role in educating students about hunger and sustainable food practices.

Picryl | U.S. NAVY, Public Domain

Community gardens, farmers' markets, and zero-waste shops are also popular ways for local communities to get involved. Consumers also carry part of the solution. We can all help by choosing healthy, locally sourced foods, reducing food waste, and protecting soil, water, and biodiversity.

World Food Day plays a pivotal role in educating the public about the complexities of global food systems and the factors contributing to hunger. The day aims to empower individuals to make informed choices that support food security and provides a platform for sharing success stories, innovations, and best practices.

Together, we can achieve a food-secure and sustainable world.

Author: Dr Norbert Stute and Rachael Mellor 13.10.25, latest update 20.08.26, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0