Over 1 Billion Metric Tons of Food Wasted Annually, Secretary-General Says in Message for International Day, Stressing Need to Change Production, Consumption

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Food Day, observed on 16 October:

World Food Day is a global call for Zero Hunger — for a world where nutritious food is available and affordable for everyone, everywhere.

But today, more than 820 million people do not have enough to eat.  And the climate emergency is an increasing threat to food security.  Meanwhile, 2 billion men, women and children are overweight or obese.  Unhealthy diets present an enormous risk of disease and death.

It is unacceptable that hunger is on the rise at a time when the world wastes more than 1 billion tonnes of food every year.

It is time to change how we produce and consume, including to reduce greenhouse emissions.  Transforming food systems is crucial for delivering all the Sustainable Development Goals.

That is why I hope to convene a Food Systems Summit in 2021 as part of the Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals.

As a human family, a world free of hunger is our imperative.