Ending Hunger, Creating Inclusive Food Systems Vital to Sustainable Development Agenda, Secretary-General Tells Leaders at World Food Programme Event

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the World Food Programme (WFP) annual World Leaders Dinner at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, in Davos, Switzerland, today:

I am proud to be here among so many champions against hunger, including the Hunger Heroes we honour this evening.  Thank you for this opportunity to discuss how to usher in a future without hunger and malnutrition.  This is absolutely possible in our world of plenty — with vision and action.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development points the way forward  I have called this document our “Declaration of Interdependence”.  Leaders adopting the Sustainable Development Goals affirmed that we are one human family.  We have a responsibility to the most vulnerable.  And when we make sure that they are included in progress, we improve conditions for everyone.

Ending hunger and creating sustainable, inclusive food systems are central to the 2030 Agenda.  We have to harness the world’s unprecedented advances to reach “Zero Hunger”.

I welcome the focus tonight on empowering consumers.  We can help consumers to make the right choices, by connecting the dots between “what people buy” and “how we can solve” the problem of hunger.

We had a chance to see a small example of sustainable solutions at this year’s General Assembly.  At one of the high-level lunches, every dish was made from scraps that would normally be wasted.  One of the appetizers was called “landfill salad”.  The menu also listed some hard facts.  One was that more than a third of the world’s food goes to waste.

Eliminating wasted food in homes and in fields is a key element in achieving Zero Hunger.  The United Nations is ready to lead new, large-scale initiatives to end hunger.  I see a potential transformation in business, food systems and agriculture that will make them more climate-friendly, resilient and inclusive.

The most vulnerable are also the most valuable.  Smallholder farmers, especially the women farmers, will have the greatest impact — if we increase their income and their output.

The UN World Food Programme is leading the way.  I applaud Executive Director Ertharin Cousin for taking risks to try new approaches that do more to empower people.  I thank WFP also for reaching out to so many millions of hungry people each day.

We recently heard from aid workers who arrived in Madaya in Syria.  They told us people there are gaunt and fragile from such severe hunger.  One family traded their car for three kilos of rice.  Tragically, this desperation is mirrored in other crises around the world.

We have a responsibility to answer the cries of people’s right to food.  Let us join forces to help them unleash their potential and secure a better world for all.