United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres' Video Message on World Food Day
UN Secretary-General António Guterres conveyed the pressing concern of the global food crisis coinciding with World Food Day 2023. Approximately 780 million people are experiencing hunger, and almost fifty million children are at risk of severe wasting. The funding for this year's global humanitarian appeal stands at 32%, highlighting a significant shortfall.
He noted the reduction in aid programs by the World Food Programme and expressed concern over lives lost to hunger every few seconds despite ample resources. In 2015, the world set a goal to achieve zero hunger by 2030; however, eight years later, hunger has surged, necessitating immediate action primarily from national governments.
Acknowledging the resource constraints faced by many governments in effectively addressing this crisis, he emphasized the necessity of international solidarity. The chief highlighted the underlying causes, including conflicts, climate extremes, inequality, and economic instability, underscoring the UN system's efforts in supporting sustainable, equitable food systems prioritizing people over profits.
He urged for substantial increases in investments for resilient agriculture, aligning them with climate action and leveraging science and technology for improved food system efficiency and reach. The theme of this year's World Food Day centers on water, emphasizing its critical role in nutritious and healthy food. Sustainable water management for agriculture and food production is indispensable to ending hunger, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and preserving water for future generations.
Expressing confidence in achieving zero hunger, he called upon governments, the private sector, civil society, and academia to collaborate and prioritize resolving this crisis, urging them to elevate it to the top of the global agenda. Investing in long-term solutions is crucial to ensuring adequate food for everyone and ultimately eradicating hunger.
Transcript:
World Food Day 2023 comes during a global food crisis, with the world moving backwards on ending hunger and malnutrition.
Some 780 million people around the world are going hungry; almost fifty million children are at risk of death from severe wasting. Yet funding for this year’s global humanitarian appeal stands at just 32 percent.
In our world of plenty, it is outrageous that a person dies of hunger every few seconds, while the World Food Programme has been forced to cut its essential aid programmes.
In 2015, after years of progress, Governments set the goal of zero hunger by 2030.
But eight years later, the number of people suffering from hunger has increased significantly.
This crisis demands action – first and foremost from national governments, which have a responsibility to make sure their people have enough to eat.
But many governments lack the resources to do so, and so effective international solidarity is also essential.
The long-term causes of the global food crisis include conflicts, climate extremes, inequality, and economic instability.
The UN system is addressing these root causes through our support for sustainable, equitable food systems that put people over profits.
That means massively scaling up investments in resilient agriculture, and aligning them with climate action.
It means leveraging science and technology to improve the efficiency and reach of food systems.
This year’s theme for World Food Day focuses on water – a necessity for nutritious and healthy food.
The sustainable management of water for agriculture and food production is essential to end hunger, achieve the SDGs, and preserve water for future generations.
Zero hunger is achievable.
This World Food Day, I call on governments, the private sector, civil society and academia to work together;
to prioritize feeding the hungry;
to bring ending this crisis to the top of the global agenda;
and to invest in long-term solutions that provide everyone with enough to eat.
