World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16 October. The event will focus on the impact of the climate crisis towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 by 2030. SDG 2 aims to achieve "zero hunger". It is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is: "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture". World Food Safety Day 2022 is observed ten days after the adoption of the updated World Health Organization Global Strategy for Food Safety, a milestone in the work to promote health, keep the world safe and protect the vulnerable.
The theme for 2022 is “Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow”. The theme stresses that production and consumption of safe food have immediate and long-term benefits for people, the planet, and the economy. Access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health. Foodborne diseases affect one in ten people worldwide each year. There are over 200 of these diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.
Human behaviour, the way food systems are created, and how food supply chains are managed can prevent hazards such as infectious pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and parasites) and chemical contaminants from ending up in food. Investments made in more sustainable food systems can result in long-term benefits for human, animal, environmental health, and the general economy of the countries.
Key to safer food:
- Keep clean
Wash your hands before handling food and during food preparation. - Use safe water and raw materials
Wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw. - Separate raw and cooked
Use separate equipment and utensils such as knives and cutting boards to handle meat, poultry, seafood, and other raw foods. - Cook thoroughly
Bring foods like soups and stews to the marnaboil to make sure that they have reached 70°C. - Keep food at safe temperatures
Do not leave cooked food at room temperature for more than two hours.
In 2022, hunger levels are higher than ever before. Conflict, COVID-19, climate crisis and rising costs have combined to create jeopardy for up to 828 million hungry people across the world. The crisis is escalating as the war in Ukraine drives up the costs of food, fuel, and fertilizers. Millions of people are struggling to put food on the table and are being driven closer to starvation in a storm of staggering proportions. Ending world hunger is one of the greatest challenges of our times.
Governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and individuals need to work together in solidarity to prioritise the right of all people to food, nutrition, peace, and equality