On World Food Day we present you with a smorgasbord of stories to consume to show how food and the need to eat connects us all.
An open air food market in Morocco. Photo by Truecreatives.
The 16 of October marks World Food Day, established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. We all need to eat. Food sustains us and can keep us healthy. Food gives many people pleasure. It gives us a way to keep our traditions alive and so connects generations and people to their ancestors.
But producing enough food to feed the planet is more challenging than ever. Extreme weather caused by climate change results in floods and droughts which wipe out agricultural crops.
Climate change is forcing farmers to change what they grow in response to new, less predictable weather patterns. Wars are dislocating people from their lands, disrupting traditional agriculture. Overreliance on processed foods and sugar has led to a crisis of obesity and diabetes.
It is important to understand where our food comes from, how it is produced and how all of that affects us and our communities. We need to recognize the inequities in our food systems: why is there so much food insecurity and starvation in some places and so much food waste in others?
In recognition of World Food Day, check out some of the stories we’ve published about food and how it affects our lives and our societies.