In a stark address to the Committee on World Food Security in Rome, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the pressing need for “massive investment” to safeguard the fundamental human right to food. Guterres’ speech came against a backdrop of disheartening statistics, highlighting the dire state of global food security.
The UN chief began by underscoring the unsettling reality that the world is regressing on its goal of achieving zero hunger by 2030. He pointed to the fact that 735 million people experienced hunger last year, and a staggering three billion individuals could not afford a healthy diet.
Guterres didn’t mince words in describing the severity of the situation, labeling hunger and malnutrition as “human rights violations on an epic scale.” He painted a grim picture of the consequences of this crisis, where nutritious food becomes inaccessible due to economic or geographic barriers, and individuals waste away from hunger, helplessly witnessing their loved ones suffer and even perish from food shortages.
He emphasized that this is not just a crisis but a moral catastrophe and a global outrage. Despite these grim circumstances, Guterres asserted that the world possesses the necessary resources to address this issue, stating, “There is more than enough food to go around. And more than enough resources to ensure that every person on the planet has enough to eat.”
Guterres called on governments to play a pivotal role in guaranteeing access to nutritious food, acknowledging that many nations face resource constraints in fulfilling this duty. He advocated for international solidarity as the key to transforming food systems to meet the needs of all people.
The UN chief stressed the importance of massive investment, innovation, science, and technology to develop sustainable food systems that align with nature and address the pressing climate crisis. He commended the efforts of the Committee on World Food Security, which includes members from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), in finding solutions to these challenges.
Guterres concluded by urging the world to prioritize the fundamental human right to food, emphasizing that it deserves the investment and urgent action required to address the ongoing crisis. The Committee on World Food Security, established in 1974 and reformed in 2009, is an international and intergovernmental platform dedicated to ensuring food security and nutrition for all.
