World Food Day: For a fairer future where everyone has access to healthy food

A donation convoy loaded with food donations worth one hundred million forints passed through the historic downtown of Budapest on the occasion of World Food Day. A convoy of 20 trucks organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Hungarian Food Bank Association transported more than 60,000 kilos of cargo, which was offered by food producers and distributors. The line of trucks was welcomed at Hősök square by Vladimir Rakhmanin, Deputy Director General of the FAO, Dr. Oszkár Ökrös, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Antal Molnár, Executive Vice President of the Magyar Élélmiszerbank Egyesület.

FAO: Everyone should benefit from sustainable and well-functioning food systems

The purpose of the Donation Convoy is to direct the attention of the governmental, corporate and civil spheres, as well as the population, to the food problems affecting the majority of humanity. At the same time, it also offers tangible help to the most vulnerable, delivering food donations to tens of thousands of needy people. – Transforming and making our agricultural and food industry systems more efficient is critical if we want to keep our promise on this year’s World Food Day, that we will leave no one behind and provide better production conditions, better food, a better environment and a better life for everyone. – said Vladimir Rakhmanin, FAO Deputy Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia. – Almost 40% of the world’s population cannot afford a healthy diet. It’s time to change this together!

Food bank: The population must be mobilized, important steps can be taken at home

This year, the Food Bank has already saved more than six million kilos of food that has become unnecessary, is close to expiration, or has faulty packaging from the commercial and manufacturing sectors, so that it does not go to the waste disposal, but to people in need. – pointed out Antal Molnár, executive vice president of the Magyar Élélmiszerbank Egyesület. – Of course, anyone can do something for food safety in their own environment. For example, by making conscious decisions to support the elimination of food problems, by buying local and seasonal ingredients, and by giving preference to products that require less packaging.

Avoiding food waste at home is such a conscious step

Unfortunately, 31% of the food produced on our planet ends up in the trash or otherwise goes to waste – mostly in households. However, with pre-planned shopping and proper food storage, a lot of food can be saved from spoilage. Skyrocketing food prices as a result of the crisis affect everyone, but the most vulnerable social groups are the most sensitive. The aid organizations that help them – such as the Food Bank – welcome not only monetary donations, but also volunteers or other resources. At the end of a tumultuous year and the beginning of a perhaps even more critical period, they are in great need of all contributions.

Ministry of Agriculture: Continuous support for producers

In his speech, the deputy state secretary highlighted that, as part of the National Food Economy Crisis Management Program, the government has provided HUF 25 billion in additional resources to the agricultural ministry starting in 2020, which will be used to improve the economic problems caused by the COVID-19 virus in the most affected agricultural sectors. – This year’s extremely dry weather and the energy crisis due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict also put crop growers and livestock farmers to a tough test. In this struggle, the Ministry of Agriculture wants to continuously help with solutions that take into account the interests and needs of producers, including through the introduction of a loan moratorium and a new, extraordinary interest-subsidized loan program. – added Dr. Oszkár Ökrös, Deputy State Secretary responsible for international relations at the Ministry of Agriculture.

35,000 packages of food donations on the occasion of World Food Day

The companies joining the donation convoy are partners of the Magyar Élélmiszerbank Egyesület: ALDI Magyarország Élélmiszer Bt., Auchan Magyarország, Bio-Fungi Kft., Bonafarm Group, Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország Kft., Danone KFT., Dr. Oetker Magyarország, Global Green Europe Kft. , Gyermelyi Zrt., KFC, Kifli.hu, KOMETA 99 Zrt., Lidl Hungary, METRO Kereskedelmi Kft., Pek-Snack Kft., PENNY Hungary, Rauch Hungária Kft., Shell Hungary Zrt. and its logistics partner HAVI Logistics Kft. . The shipment worth one hundred million forints was eventually sent to Élélmiszerbank XVII. is sent to the district’s central warehouse, where more than 35,000 food packages are made from it for the needy.