World Food Day 2019: History And How It Is Celebrated

World Food Day is held annually on 16 October. It aims at tackling global hunger and poverty, and people from around the world come together to declare their commitment to remove hunger globally.

The theme for World Food Day 2019 is "Our actions are our future. Healthy diets for a #ZeroHunger World".

On this day, several other organizations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Food Program among others come together to acknowledge the problems behind hunger and poverty.

History Of World Food Day

The member countries of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) established the World Food Day in November 1979 at the organization's 20th General Conference. The Hungarian delegation led by the then Minister of Hungary for Agriculture and Food, Dr Pal Romany, proposed the idea of observing World Food Day worldwide.

Since then, World Food Day has been observed in more than 150 countries every year, raising the problems and reasons behind hunger and poverty.

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How World Food Day Is Celebrated

On World Food Day, several events take place that promote awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger, and the need for food security and nutritious diets for everyone.

In India, many non-voluntary organizations emphasize the importance of eating healthy food and avoiding fast food. Volunteers organise street plays that demand public consultation on BRAI (Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India) bill.

In the United States of America, the World Food Day Sunday Dinners are sponsored by Oxfam America in association with many non-profit organizations.

In the United Kingdom, FareShare, a charity organization highlights the importance of saving food, reducing food poverty and food waste.

In Europe, various NGOs, international agencies, universities, and research institutes organize several exhibitions and conferences.

In Australia, people take part in 'Eat Local Feed Global' organized by Oxfam Australia which aims at helping people to fight hunger and poverty.

Canada hosts several famous speakers from around the world. In Canada, one of the biggest World Food Day is celebrated in Langley, British Columbia organized by Food for Famine (FFF), a humanitarian society whose objective is to save the lives of children under 5 years of age suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).

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Themes For World Food Day

Since 1981, World Food day has had a different theme every year, with most of them revolving around agriculture.

• 2018: Our Actions Are Our Future, Ending World Hunger by 2030 is Possible.
• 2017: Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development.
• 2016: Climate change: Climate is changing, Food and agriculture must too.
• 2015: Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty.
• 2014: Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth.
• 2013: Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition.
• 2012: Agricultural cooperatives: key to feeding the world.
• 2011: Food prices from crisis to stability.
• 2010: United against hunger.
• 2009: Achieving food security in times of crisis.
• 2008: World food security: the challenges of climate change and bioenergy.
• 2007: The right to food.
• 2006: Investing in agriculture for food security.
• 2005: Agriculture and intercultural dialogue.
• 2004: Biodiversity for food security.
• 2003: Working together for an international alliance against hunger.
• 2002: Water: Source of food security.
• 2001: Fight hunger to reduce poverty.
• 2000: A millennium free from hunger.
• 1999: Youth against hunger.
• 1998: Women feed the world.
• 1997: Investing in food security.
• 1996: Fighting hunger and malnutrition.
• 1995: Food for all.
• 1994: Water for life.
• 1993: Harvesting nature's diversity.
• 1992: Food and Nutrition.
• 1991: Trees for life.
• 1990: Food for the future.
• 1989: Food and the environment.
• 1988: Rural youth.
• 1987: Small farmers.
• 1986: Fishermen and fishing communities.
• 1985: Rural poverty.
• 1984: Women in agriculture.
• 1983: Food Security.
• 1982: Food comes first.
• 1981: Food comes first.