“The Black Sea Grain Initiative has opened the pathway for the safe navigation of dozens of ships filled with much needed food supplies. But each ship is also carrying one of today’s rarest commodities: Hope.”
United Nations Secretary General António Guterres
Enough Nutritious Food for Everyone, Everywhere
The United Nations Food Systems Summit, held in 2021 in New York, brought food security to the forefront of the global agenda. One year on, the issue remains central to the Organization’s work: In this year’s General Assembly General Debate, food security occupied its rightful place, as it figured prominently in the statements of world leaders, along with conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency.
However, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (hunger) will remain elusive without accelerated global efforts. The October 2022 issue of Goal of the Month editorial takes a closer look at food-related issues. Join us in efforts towards the achievement of SDG 2.
Why does SDG2 matter?
Access to food is a human right, yet for as many as 800 million people globally, hunger and malnutrition remain a cruel reality. Hunger and malnutrition remain a barrier to sustainable development and creates a trap from which people cannot easily escape. Individuals who are going hungry are more prone to disease and thus often unable to earn more and improve their livelihood. A world with zero hunger can positively impact our economies, health, education, equality and social development. Achieving Goal 2 is a key piece of building a better future for everyone. Without it, we will not be able to attain the other sustainable development goals such as education, health and gender equality.
Highlights
- Black Sea Grain Initiative & Global Crisis Response Group
- World Food Day | 16 October
In-Focus
- Committee on World Food Security | 10-13 October
- International Day of Rural Women | 15 October
- World Food Forum | 17-21 October
- International Day for the Eradication of Poverty | 17 October
- UN Water Conference Preparatory Meeting | 25 October
- Recipes for Change
Highlights
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, exports of grain from Ukraine, as well as food and fertilizers from Russia, have been significantly hit. The disruption in supplies pushed soaring prices even higher and contributed to a global food crisis. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye, was set up to reintroduce vital food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine to the rest of the world. Read the explainer , watch the video , and get updates at the following page.
Website: Black Sea Grain Initiative | Updates | United Nations
In response to the intertwined crisis of food, energy and financing caused by the war in Ukraine, the United Nations Secretary-General established the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance. Read the briefs issued by the 32-member Group.
#WorldFoodDay 2022 is marked at a time when the world faces profound food security challenges as result of conflicts, economic slowdowns and downturns, the climate emergency, environmental degradation and the knock-on effects of COVID-19. We need to build a sustainable world where everyone, everywhere has regular access to enough nutritious food. No one should be left behind.
Events
• 14 October – Global events – 10.00 CEST World Food Day Ceremony and Intergenerational Dialogue, 14.00 CEST Junior World Food Day
• 1-31 October – +500 events/activities worldwide in over 150 countries
World Food Day once again recognises #FoodHeroes throughout the agrifood system who produce, plant, harvest, fish or transport our food, but also advocate for change, helping to grow, nourish and sustain our world.
Visit website, watch promo video and use communication tool kit. Join global events on 14 October.
After a successful first edition, Junior World Food Day is back. This year, European Space Agency astronaut and FAO Goodwill Ambassador Thomas Pesquet will participate alongside other exciting guest speakers including Lebanese media professional and FAO Goodwill Ambassador Darine ElKhatib and Spanish chef and food hero Joan Roca for an event that is guaranteed to inspire action.
Watch promo video and register for the online event.
In-Focus
The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is the foremost intergovernmental platform working to ensure food security and nutrition for all.
This session, CFS 50, will focus on the theme of “Global Responses to a Global Food Crisis – Leaving No One Behind” and the findings of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022. It will also promote youth engagement in agriculture and food systems, as well as boost responsible investment in sustainable agriculture and food systems.
Read the full agenda and join here.
Under the 2022 theme “Healthy Diets. Healthy Planet.”, the World Food Forum (WFF) will take place from 17 to 21 October at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy.
The WFF will comprise the Global Youth Forum, the Science and Innovation Forum and the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum. These three interlinked fora will advance bold and actionable solutions to catalyze the transformation of our agrifood systems, highlighting the importance of the next generation and its ingenuity in science, technology and innovation in dialogue with current thought leaders and scientific experts.
Global Youth Forum |17-21 October
Brings young people together in a safe and inclusive space to discuss, advocate and co-identify priorities and solutions on the way forward to catalyze the transformation of agrifood systems. The WFF Global Food Forum will take place on 17- 21 October under the theme “Healthy Diets. Healthy Planet.” The aim is to raise awareness among young people and spark action on the connection between climate change and access to safe and nutritious food and healthy diets.
Science and Innovation Forum | 17-21 October
The Science and Innovation Forum will highlight the crucial role of science, technology and innovation in transforming our agrifood systems and explore scientific advances and the opportunities and risks associated with them.
Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum | 17-21 October
The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum will provide a platform for national authorities, global and national public and private entities, along with multilateral development banks and donors, to discuss opportunities to finance the Hand-in-Hand Initiative.
On average, women make up more than 40 per cent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries, ranging from 20 per cent in Latin America to 50 percent or more in parts of Africa and Asia. Improving the lives of rural women is key to fighting poverty and hunger. This year’s theme for the International Day is “Rural women confront the global cost-of-living crisis”.
Website: Rural Women’s Day | United Nations
Persons living in poverty experience many interrelated and mutually reinforcing deprivations that prevent them from realizing their rights and perpetuate their poverty, including: dangerous work conditions, unsafe housing, lack of nutritious food, unequal access to justice, lack of political power and limited access to health care.
“Dignity for all in practice” is the umbrella theme of the International Day for 2022-2023. The dignity of the human being is not only a fundamental right in itself but constitutes the basis of all other fundamental rights.
Website: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty | United Nations
Water is vital to food production. Agriculture is the largest consumer of the world’s freshwater resources. In fact, 72% of all water withdrawals are used for food production. As populations grow and climate change worsens, we will need to use water much more efficiently, including by the safe reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation. Let’s get #Goal6 on track! One of the themes proposed for interactive dialogues at the UN 2023 World Water Conference is “Water for Development: Valuing Water, Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Sustainable Economic and Urban Development.” The themes for these dialogues will be finalized during a one-day preparatory meeting convened by the UN General Assembly on 25 October 2022 in New York. Watch the meeting live on UN Web TV.
Website: Preparatory meeting of the UN 2023 World Water Conference
Recipes for Change is a collection of recipes from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) projects around the world that bring you a taste of other people’s lives through the food they eat—from the Hong family in the Mekong Delta to the Bibutsuwahoze family in Rwanda.
These recipes also examine the devastating impacts the climate crisis is having on rural communities and the essential ingredients they cook with, while calling attention to the adaptation solutions.
Get inspired by the recipes and buy more sustainably and cook smarter.
