Basic Information
World Food Day is observed on 16 October to bring people together to eradicate hunger and ensure food security and nutritious diet for all.
Observed on: 16 October
Organized by: UN, FAO
Introduced in: 1979 (by FAO), 1980 (by UN)
Observed: Worldwide
About World Food Day
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) decided to observe October 16 as World Food Day in November 1979. The UN General Assembly ratified this decision on December 5, 1980.
The date is selected as an honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. The day is also famously known as the Food Engineer Day.
Activities and Programs on World Food Day
Many organizations and nations observe the day with different programs and events. They organize conferences, exhibitions and symposia on this day to observe the day. Other events include food festivals, workshops and presentations of particular issues around food production, distribution and security. Special initiatives like International Year of Rice are launched on this occasion.
Sponsored programs like dinner with celebrities, sports events, charity auctions, concerts, marches etc. are conducted to raise money. All the programs are aimed at raise awareness of problems in food supply and distribution and to raise money to support projects to aid in the cultivation of food plants and the distribution of food. Some programs like World Food Program and the International Fund for Agricultural Development are conducted with the concern of food security.
Theme for World Food Day
World Food Day 2020 Theme is “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together. Our actions are our future“
World Food Day 2019 Theme was “Our Actions are Our Future: Healthy Diets for a #ZeroHunger World“
World Food Day 2018 Theme was “A #ZeroHunger World by 2030 is possible” “Our Actions and our Future“
2017 Theme: Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development
2016 Theme: Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too
2015 Theme: Social protection and Agriculture
2014 Theme: Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth
2013 Theme: Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition
2012 Theme: Agricultural cooperatives – key to feeding the world
2011 Theme: Food prices – from crisis to stability
2010 Theme: United against hunger
2009 Theme: Achieving food security in times of crisis
2008 Theme: World food security: the challenges of climate change and bio-energy
2007 Theme: The right to food
2006 Theme: Investing in agriculture for food security
2005 Theme: Agriculture and intercultural dialogue
2004 Theme: Biodiversity for food security
2003 Theme: Working together for an International alliance against hunger
2002 Theme: Water: source of food security
2001 Theme: Fight hunger to reduce poverty
2000 Theme: A millennium free from hunger
1999 Theme: Youth against hunger
1998 Theme: Women feed the world
1997 Theme: Investing in food security
1996 Theme: Fighting hunger and malnutrition
1995 Theme: Food for all
1994 Theme: Water for life
1993 Theme: Harvesting nature’s diversity
1992 Theme: Food and nutrition
1991 Theme: Trees for life
1990 Theme: Food for the future
1989 Theme: Food and the environment
1988 Theme: Rural youth
1987 Theme: Small farmers
1986 Theme: Fisherman and fishing communities
1985 Theme: Rural Poverty
1984 Theme: Women in Agriculture
1983 Theme: Food Security
1982 Theme: Food comes first
1981 Theme: Food comes first