Qu Dongyu, the Director-General of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has revealed that more than 2.8 billion people worldwide are unable to afford healthy diets.
He disclosed this at the 2024 World Food Day global ceremony themed “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future,” underscoring the critical issues surrounding food security and nutrition
Dongyu highlighted the widespread issue of malnutrition, stating that it exists in every country and across all socio-economic classes. “Even in high-income economies, people are choosing convenient and unhealthy foods,” he noted, emphasizing the widespread nature of the problem.
Challenges in Agri-Food Systems
The FAO director-general attributed these challenges to the deficiencies within global agri-food systems, which struggle to provide the nutritious and diverse foods necessary for healthy diets.
He stressed that food security hinges on three critical factors: availability, accessibility, and affordability. “With 730 million people facing hunger, it is clear that there is still much work to be done, and FAO’s mandate to ensure food security for all is as valid as ever,” Dongyu stated.
He called for a collective renewal of commitments to create more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems that can nourish the world. “This World Food Day, I am calling on all to renew their commitments to building more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems that can nourish the world,” he asserted.
The ‘Four Betters’ approach
Dongyu proposed immediate actions centered around the integrated ‘Four Betters’: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.
To achieve better production and nutrition, he urged governments to incentivize the production and sale of more nutritious foods while promoting their healthy consumption.
He articulated the need for a sustainable approach, stating, “We need to produce more with less; we need more quantity with more diverse foods with less agricultural inputs and less negative impacts on the environment.”
His vision includes not only providing enough diverse foods but also preserving biodiversity and protecting the planet.
A call for innovation
He also advocated for the integration of innovation, including information technology, Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, and digital agriculture. He also underscored the importance of collaboration, calling on the private sector to support governments in making a wider variety of safe and nutritious foods available. “They need to be our allies in addressing this global challenge,” he emphasized.
Dongyu poignantly remarked, “We cannot build peaceful communities without addressing malnutrition,” highlighting the urgency of the situation. He also pointed out the critical role of the younger generation in combating malnutrition, asserting that it is fundamentally a human right.
He urged for renewed commitments to build efficient systems that guarantee the right to good foods for all, emphasizing the collective responsibility in addressing this global crisis.
