FAO: The time has come to make the right to a healthy, nutritious and affordable diet a reality

But how do we get from law to implementation? And why is it so important to think not only about enough food, but also about the diversity of the diet? This is reflected in the theme of this year’s World Food Day, which emphasizes the importance of availability, accessibility and affordability of food.

Currently, farmers are producing more than enough food in terms of caloric value. Yet some 730 million people go hungry due to man-made and natural disasters such as conflict, extreme weather, inequality and economic downturns.

Billions eat unhealthy food

The other cruel news is that more than 2.8 billion people in the world cannot afford a healthy diet, which is a major cause of nutrition-related problems.

So, almost half of the population of our planet does not take in nutrients that are essential for development – or indeed for survival. This means that almost half of the world’s population urgently needs to improve its quality of life.

We need more diversity in nutritious and affordable food, from farms, to fishing nets, to markets and to tables, for the benefit of all. This is not only about people’s nutritional needs, but also about ensuring that our agri-food systems are efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, and respect traditional food cultures and healthy diets based on science and in line with personal preferences.

Another important consideration is a long-term healthy and sustainable environment, which we rely on to produce food and which needs biodiversity to thrive.