World Food Day

World Food Day is observed on 16 October, the anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The FAO Conference established the day in 1979, and the first broad international observance followed in 1981. Its purpose was to draw sustained attention to hunger, malnutrition, agriculture and the systems through which food is produced and distributed. Over time the discussion has expanded to include farmers' livelihoods, resilient agriculture, food safety, nutrition, biodiversity, water, climate pressures and the enormous amount of food lost or wasted. The day is therefore not simply about celebrating food; it asks why sufficient nutritious food remains inaccessible to many people and what governments, producers, businesses and consumers can do about it. FAO and partners mark the occasion through annual themes, public campaigns, school activities, technical discussions and community initiatives aimed at making agrifood systems more inclusive, sustainable and capable of nourishing everyone.

World Food Day is intended to build public awareness and encourage attention to its associated global issue.