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This year’s World Food Day theme, celebrated on October 16, reflects on the effects of climate change on our food system and why it’s important to move towards more sustainable ways of producing and consuming food in order to mitigate and adapt to such changes. The campaign ‘Change for the Planet – Care for the People’ will reflect on the role that citizens can play in advancing viable solutions, while resisting and denouncing false, business-as-usual models that affect people and planet.
Temperatures continue to rise and drastic changes in weather patterns continue to be observed all over the world, particularly in the most vulnerable areas and communities. Climate change presents a high risk to world food security. At the same time, when considering the entire agro-industrial system, accounting for agriculture, transportation, processing and packaging of food, freezing, retail and food waste, it is estimated that it represents 44% to 57% of total GHG emissions, and therefore to a world that is warming at an alarming rate. With a growing population, we face a bumpy road to supply the growing demand for food, water and other resources and preserve essential ecosystems for life.
Against this backdrop, there is urgency to move towards a more just and sustainable food system, one that is able to provide healthy and safe food for people, while causing a minimal impact on the planet’s resources and ecosystems, preserving biodiversity, and respecting the rights of those who devote their lives to producing food. Many examples worldwide have shown the relevance and strength of people-driven alternatives around food production and consumption, where the concern for the planet and the well-being of people lie at the heart of each initiative.
With this concern in mind, this World Food Day, from October 14 – 16 the campaign ‘Change for the Planet – Care for the People’ will take the opportunity to highlight what individual citizens and communities around the world, both in urban and rural areas are doing to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change through sustainable food consumption and production, foster solidarity links between consumers and producers, and denounce false solutions.
We believe in the power of stories to contribute to positive change by showing us alternatives, examples of how things could be done differently and are possible if we are willing to make small changes that can make a big difference. Therefore, to mark World Food Day and with the aim of inspiring citizens to take action by transitioning to more sustainable lifestyles, the campaign launches its first ‘Stories of Change: Sustainable food for the people and the planet’ video series. One to two stories will be launched each month with the purpose of also highlighting different voices and the diversity of initiatives that are happening around the world to build, step-by-step, a culture of care, solidarity and mutual responsibility for the people and the planet.
Join the conversation online by following the campaign on Facebook and Twitter, through the hashtags #Change4Planet and #WFD2016. Tell us your story, share with us your thoughts and reflections on how you are engaging in sustainable ways of producing and consuming food.