World Food Day

What is World Food Day?

World Food Day is held annually on October 16. It is an international day commemorating the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1945. The FAO is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to achieving food security for all.

World Food Day events raise awareness about the global progress made toward a zero-hunger world and the world’s commitment to ending world hunger. This commitment is now threatened by a growing food crisis.

A Global Food Crisis is Increasing Food Insecurity

Recent global challenges have reversed decades of progress made in the fight against poverty and hunger in low- and middle-income countries* around the world.

The war in Ukraine, inflation, fertilizer shortages, COVID-19, regional conflicts and extreme weather are colliding to create a global food crisis unlike any food crisis in the past.

Malnutrition, starvation and chronic health issues are a serious and potentially life-threatening reality for children living in poverty, and the increased food insecurity** has become an even more severe risk for the poor.

With households in emerging economies spending an average of 25% of their budgets on food — up to 40% in sub-Saharan Africa and 60% in Haiti — rising inflation is placing families in a desperate situation and perpetuating the cycle of generational poverty, especially the cycle of rural poverty.

“The cost-of-living impact is almost without precedent in a generation ... and that is why it is so serious.” — UN Development Program

Based on current global food crisis and hunger forecasts, Compassion anticipates facing difficult food security issues for the next several years.

The Impact on Children in Poverty is Severe

As food insecurity climbs, so does hunger and malnutrition in young children. The threats that hunger and malnutrition inflict upon children include:

• Death.
• Vulnerability to life-threatening illnesses.
• Poor academic performance and intellectual development.
• Increased risk of gender-based violence and abuse.
• Increased risk of child marriage, as girls are offered in marriage arrangements for dowries that will feed their families.
• Increased risk of child labor, as children leave school to support their families.

Without the establishment of sustainable agricultural production and food systems around the world, hunger and malnutrition will continue to be a chronic problem, as well as a severely acute problem in times of crisis, disaster, epidemics and pandemics.

The high-level road map created by several non-government organizations (NGOs) — the World Food Programme, Project Everyone and UNICEF — to achieve a zero-hunger world is helping promote sustainable agriculture and well-being for everyone at all ages. It has also laid the groundwork to fight the food crisis.

• Putting the poorest first by expanding social protection programs for the most vulnerable.
• Ensuring everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food by improving rural infrastructure and creating more efficient and resilient food supply chains.
• Increasing the nutritional value of our global and local diets by helping farmers create sustainable biodiversity and educating consumers about the importance of eating a healthy diet made up of a wide range of nutritious foods.
• Reducing food waste by getting food to the plates of those who need it, not just those who can afford it.
• Prioritizing the nutritional needs for nursing mothers and children in the first 1,000 days of life.

How Compassion International Helps

Compassion is responding to the global food crisis with both immediate and long-term initiatives.

In the short term, Compassion provides food packages and/or cash transfers to families at risk of food insecurity.

Compassion supports long-term food security by equipping families with seeds, fertilizer, livestock and training on how to build and maintain home gardens, as well as how to increase food production through small family farming efforts.

Relief supplies are distributed through partnerships with local churches, which means aid is delivered by neighbors to neighbors. When help arrives, it’s a familiar face at the door.

Compassion's local church partners also provide routine health screenings for children so our partners can respond immediately to new or developing nutritional needs.

Our local partners use mobile money transfers to send cash directly to families. It’s a secure, discreet, cost-effective and dignified way to get aid to those who urgently need it.

These initiatives help families return to normal so children can experience healthy development and thrive in their God-given potential.

Join other food heroes to help address life-threatening hunger needs caused by the global food crisis and to provide:

• Food kits that include essentials like rice, eggs, meat, milk, corn and other nonperishable dry goods.
• Medical therapeutic feeding for babies, children or youth, caregivers and siblings.
• Nutrition assistance for pregnant mothers and infants.
• Preventive and income-generating activities that help address food insecurity long term.

Our actions are our future! Please donate today to help families affected by the global food crisis.