Under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Talal, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marked World Food Day in Jordan on Wednesday, coinciding with the organization’s 79th anniversary.
This year’s observance, held under the theme “The Right to Food, for a Better Life and a Better Future,” emphasized the pressing need to combat global hunger and malnutrition.
In a recorded speech, Princess Basma highlighted that food is not merely sustenance but the third most essential requirement for human survival after air and water. She noted the stark contrast between the one-third of global food production wasted annually and the nearly 10% of the world’s population that suffers from hunger, stressing the urgent need to address this crisis.
Princess Basma underscored the importance of an integrated approach involving governments, the private sector, civil society, and academic institutions in safeguarding the food system. She emphasized the need for innovation in the a
gricultural sector and the role of specialized companies in providing affordable, nutritious food.
She also called for encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices to preserve land fertility, enhance global food security, and build more efficient food systems. She stressed the significance of rational consumption patterns to ensure the sustainability of the food supply chain, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Praising the FAO’s efforts, Princess Basma lauded international, regional, and local bodies for their role in responding to hunger crises and enhancing food security.
Minister of Agriculture Khaled Hneifat said Jordan has long recognized the political and agricultural importance of food security as a pillar of national resilience. He noted that the country has developed policies across the entire food supply chain to ensure the availability of basic food items at accessible prices.
Hneifat highlighted the establishment of the Food Security Council, created under royal direct
ives, and its role in providing data on food security, issuing reports, and overseeing the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy 2021-2030. He also stressed the ministry’s efforts to reduce food loss and waste, enhancing the benefits of local agricultural production.
FAO Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf noted that around 730 million people worldwide suffer from hunger, while over 2.8 billion cannot afford a healthy diet. This, he said, is a leading cause of malnutrition, with a third of the global population lacking essential nutrients.
Assaf called for collective global action to ensure the availability of diverse, nutritious, and affordable food for all, stressing the need for agricultural food systems that are efficient, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient, while respecting traditional food cultures and scientific knowledge.
The World Food Day observance was attended by representatives from national and international institutions, highlighting efforts toward achieving the Sustainab
le Development Goal of “Zero Hunger” and raising awareness of the importance of food security and agriculture.
FAO emphasized that conflicts, climate change, and economic downturns are worsening the global hunger crisis, disproportionately affecting poor and vulnerable populations, including farming families.
The organization reaffirmed that the right to adequate food is a fundamental human right and called for transforming agricultural food systems to ensure sustainability and resilience.
Source: Jordan News Agency