World Food Day - 16 October 2012
“Agricultural cooperatives – key to feeding the
world”.
This is the theme for World food day 2012. The day is about recognising the worldwide
problem of hunger, hence the theme has been chosen to highlight the role of
co-operatives in their contribution to food security and ridding the world of
hunger.
This years theme is also important as 2012 has
also been designated “International Year of Cooperatives” by the UN General
Assembly.
However, it is not just about donating food to
the world's hungry and undernourished peoples. It is about doing something to
help them help themselves. If I was hungry and someone gave me a plough to farm
my land I would be far more grateful than if they gave me a sack of potatoes.
If I had a plough I could be self-sufficient and produce my own food. That is
what the day is trying to encourage.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation is a
division of the United Nations, and is responsible for World Food Day. Along
with raising awareness of hunger and poverty, the day aims to encourage
economic and technological cooperation between different governments and with
non-governmental organisations.
With an estimated 1.02 billion malnourished
people across the globe it is a pretty serious matter and worth the public and
private investment that is being sought out. So that's why it is important to
raise awareness via World Food Day.
