16th October is being observed as the World Food Day commemorating the founding day of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation in 1945. World Food Day is about “ZERO” hunger, a global goal. This day is celebrated by many organizations concerned with food security including World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agriculture Development. Since 1981 World Food Day has adopted a different theme each year in order to highlight areas needed for action and provide a common focus. The theme for World Food Day 2016 is “Climate is changing, food and agriculture must too”.
At the same time, the global population is growing steadily and is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050. To meet such a heavy demand, agriculture and food systems will need to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change and become more resilient, productive and sustainable. Population growth is increasing, urbanization are coinciding with increase of poor nutrition around the world.
Climate change is going to exacerbate the loss of crop bio-diversity unless managed in a sustainable manner. Once genetic resources are gone, there will be no options to retrieve them back. One of the biggest issues related to climate change is food security. The worlds poorest are farmers and they are hit by increasing frequency of weather related disasters.
FAO is working with countries to improve livestock management and mitigate the effects of climate change which contribute to nearly two thirds of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) and 78% of methane emission. Deforestation accounts to 10-11 % of GHG emissions. The world aims to achieve zero hunger by 2050, hence climate change is a big challenge to achieve this goal.
This year’s theme requires effective chain between the producer and the consumer. The diversity of all local food sources including wild foods is to be protected to fill the nutrient gap for livelihood support. Climate resilient agriculture production system may even change our “FOOD BASKET” Therefore concerted efforts of all stake holders to support the conservation and sustainable use of agricultural bio-diversity, by creating awareness through knowledge, food value chain and community initiatives. Needless to say, as consumers we ought to change our attitude to food habits that is THINK, EAT and SAVE food, because there are 795 million people still suffering from insecure food supplies in the world.
Director of Agriculture
Nagaland, Kohima
