World Food Day: How Can We Change a Recipe For Hunger?

The 2009 World Food Day takes place at a time when, due in large part to the global economic and jobs crisis, the number of hungry people is continuing to rise, and more than one billion people are now malnourished – almost one sixth of all humanity.

Brussels 16 October 2009: The 2009 World Food Day takes place at a time when, due in large part to the global economic and jobs crisis, the number of hungry people is continuing to rise, and more than one billion people are now malnourished – almost one sixth of all humanity.

“It is more urgent than ever to fix the broken world food system that does not work in the interests of the poor,” said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder. “We must prioritise investment in agriculture, infrastructure, social safety nets and in people – their capacities and skills to turn development around in a more sustainable and just manner,” he added. “If the world is serious about the total eradication of hunger by 2025, as the World Food Summit in Rome in November is aiming for, then decent work, living wages and workers’ rights in agriculture have to be guaranteed.”

The ITUC report released earlier this year, “A Recipe for Hunger, How the World is Failing on Food”, had already warned that the level of food insecurity in the world would rise on account of the economic crisis and consequent rise in poverty. Since then, the G8 and G20 Summits have pledged substantial funding to improve rural development, technology and human capital, but the harvest of a new comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture and food security remains to be seen.

“Among world leaders, there seems to be growing momentum around the Right to Food as a cornerstone for future policy, and unions welcome this development. However, we need to ensure regulation to halt excessive speculation in agricultural commodities in order to reduce price volatility and to alter the prevailing model of agricultural production, which is so heavily based on “agribusiness” production. Regrettably, little has changed, except that more poor people than ever must go to bed hungry at the end of the day,” concluded Ryder.

To read the full ITUC report on the food crisis

To read the full ITUC report on the economic crisis

The ITUC represents 170 million workers in 158 countries and territories and has 316 national affiliates. http://www.youtube.com/ITUCCSI

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on +32 2 224 0204 or +32 476 621 018.

Photo: Delayed Gratification