Blog of Liliana Mosca, SI Representative to the FAO in Rome.
“The Right to Food: Between Deprivation and Waste. It’s Time to Act” is the title of the study seminar organised by the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the FAO, IFAD, and WFP, and the Forum Roma of Non-Governmental Organisations of Catholic inspiration, scheduled for 10 October in preparation for World Food Day 2024.
The meeting, held just days before United Nations Day on 16 October, under the theme “Right to Food for a Better Life and Future,” aims to encourage reflection on the importance of adopting a comprehensive perspective that allows for the development of effective solutions to correct the imbalances present in the current food model.
“Unfortunately,” reflect the organisers, “we live in an era of contradictions,” with the world facing multiple food crises in different areas while, at the same time, “we witness outrageous waste and excessive consumption of food.” Conflicts, economic shocks, and extreme weather events continue, “trapping millions of people in the grip of hunger and malnutrition. It is indeed paradoxical that in today’s world there is enough food for everyone, but not everyone can benefit from it.”
To ensure peace and development—understood as an improvement in the living conditions of populations suffering from hunger, war, and poverty—the launch statement of the initiative continues, “not only solemn declarations are necessary, but above all, concrete, incisive, and prudent actions aimed at increasing the efficiency of food production, distribution, and consumption, both in quantity and quality.” Eating sufficiently and healthily, the organisers clarify, “is not only a right; it requires a constant commitment and collective will to eradicate, once and for all, the scourge of hunger. If hunger exists and grows exponentially every day, it is because the roots lie in insensitivity, indifference, and a lack of fraternity.”
Sustainable Food Systems and Solutions
The organisers of the seminar aim to contribute to this process with an approach rooted in integral ecology, which is essential for addressing global challenges in a systemic way: viewing food injustice not only as a lack of food but also as a question of justice. Ensuring that food systems are sustainable, resilient, and inclusive is of utmost importance. “It is about,” as Pope Francis said in his message for World Food Day 2020, “adopting innovative solutions that can transform the way we produce and consume food for the well-being of our communities and our planet, thus strengthening recovery capacity and long-term sustainability.” This is a call to rethink and renew our food systems in a spirit of solidarity, moving beyond the logic of exploitation and better directing our efforts to cultivate and preserve the environment and its resources, ensuring food security and promoting sufficient and healthy nutrition for all.
The seminar programme includes an introduction by Maurizio Martina, Deputy Director-General of the FAO, followed by the first presentation by Simona Beretta, Full Professor of Economic Policy at the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, on “The Rules of International Trade: What Needs to Change to Ensure Access to Food for All.” Other speakers include Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, discussing “Hunger in the World: A Sad Reality Without End,” and Monsignor Robert J. Vitillo, Senior Advisor of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, on “Food Waste: A Sad Reality Without End.”
Presenting their practical experiences will be Caritas Internationalis, New Humanity, the International Council of Catholic Men Unum – Omnes, Fundación Promoción Social, Marist Foundation for International Solidarity, and the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations. Finally, Vincenzo Conso, coordinator of the Forum Roma of Catholic-inspired NGOs, will read the Forum Roma Manifesto for the Right to Food, with closing remarks by Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the FAO, IFAD, and WFP.
Conclusion
This seminar underscores the urgency for a united, compassionate response to food insecurity. By embracing integral ecology and prioritising justice within food systems, we can address these contradictions, ensuring that everyone has access to sufficient, healthy nutrition. As the speakers and participants of this seminar remind us, the right to food must move beyond ideals and become grounded in concrete actions that drive lasting change. Now is the time to transform our food systems, guided by solidarity and sustainability, for a future where no one goes hungry.