World Food Day, commemorating the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is celebrated every year on the day that FAO was founded, which is 16 October. This year marks 75 years of FAO growing, nourishing and sustaining our world. World Food Day is celebrated to raise awareness of the important issues surrounding hunger, food security and agriculture. 

According to FAO, over 2 billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. The global population is expected to reach almost 10 billion by 2050.

The 75th anniversary of FAO and World Food Day 2020 is being celebrated in an exceptional moment, as countries worldwide are dealing with the global COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 690 million people are hungry, up 10 million since 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic could add between 83-132 million people to this number, depending on the economic growth scenario.

On World Food Day 2020, FAO is celebrating the world’s food heroes:

Find out more at: http://www.fao.org/world-food-day

Learn more about FAO’s 75 years at: http://www.fao.org/fao-stories/article/en/c/1312512/