World Food Day, 2021

In news–World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16.

About World Food Day

- It is celebrated to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in 1945.
- It was established in November 1979, as suggested by former Hungarian minister of agriculture and food Dr Pal Romany.
- It gradually became a way to raise awareness about hunger, malnutrition, sustainability and food production.
- It is celebrated by organisations like the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agriculture Development.
- This year the day was jointly led by organisations like FAO, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the World Food Programme (WFP).
- Since 1981, World Food Day has celebrated various themes to highlight the importance of food security, with most of them revolving around agriculture.
This year’s theme is “Our actions are our future– Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”.

World Food Programme (WFP)-

It is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations.
It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, the largest one focused on hunger and food security, and the largest provider of school meals.
Founded in 1961, it is headquartered in Rome and has offices in 80 countries.
It received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.
WFP has been working in India since 1963, with work transitioning from food distribution to technical assistance since the country achieved self-sufficiency in cereal production.
As per WFP, India is home to a quarter of all undernourished people worldwide, making the country a key focus for tackling hunger on a global scale.

International Fund for Agricultural Development(IFAD)-

IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations that works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.
It was founded in 1977, Rome Italy.