For each and everyone of us, food tells a story. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations (2021), every food we ingest, as well as the way we consume it affect not just our whole well-being, but also the planet we live in. Annually, the World Food Day is celebrated globally every 16th of October. Today, the motive of promoting global awareness and action is dedicated to the individuals who suffer from hunger; not only with this matter but to highlight the need to ensure a healthy diet for all as well. On a historical context, World Food Day was first launched in 1945 for the celebration of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization launching. Its fundamental principle is the furtherance of food and security all over the world, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty. The organization’s goals and principles were very crucial for agricultural policies that needed to be implemented by governments across the world. Over the last few years, the Food and Agriculture Organization has used World Food Day to focus on different forms of food security and agriculture, including the relationship between food and environment, climate change, the fishing community, and biodiversity. It is important to bear in mind that the World Food Day is not just about celebrating the linearity of food only— in a broader sense, as one goes deeper into its conceptualization, a grasp of ‘beyond food and agriculture’ will be more purposeful.
The world’s agri-food systems currently employ 1 billion people, more than any other sector (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations [FAO], 2021). With this, FAO aims to focus on the engagement and involvement of each individual to further build a better food system in the future. Our lives depend on the agri-food system; every time we eat, we involve ourselves in the system. The way we produce, prepare, store, dish up, and cook food make us an inherent and active part of how an agri-food system works. A sustainable agri-food system delivers a variety of nutritious, adequate, and safe foods that are accessible at an affordable price to everyone, without compromising the food security and nutrition, as well as the economic, social, and environmental bases for the future generations to come. This also entails that nobody must suffer from any form of malnutrition, less food is wasted, and resiliency of the food supply chain considering the pandemic and weather changes. All these while limiting environmental degradation or more commonly called climate change. As one may see, sustainability is very crucial in the agri-food system, and everyone plays a major role in this implementation. It’s more of a ‘domino effect’ as when one considers the welfare of the environment and the people, a change can be mostly seen, and if not seen, felt. People have to discern that an unsustainable agri-food system takes a heavy toll on the planet, the environment, and also climate. In light of considering the COVID-19 pandemic, it is inevitable that this has given emphasis on the urgent change of route as today’s agri-food systems continue to experience inequalities in the global society. Such challenges are that more than 3 billion people cannot manage and afford healthy diets and climate extremes make it harder for farmers that produce more than 33% of the world’s food (FAO, 2021).
In the Philippines, the value of agricultural production at constant 2018 prices decreased by -1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2021 and this may be attributed to the decline in livestock and fisheries production, however, production of poultry and crops were noted (Mapa, 2021). Despite the rise in food availability, a lot of Filipinos still suffer from lack of food, poor diets, or even malnutrition; and this is a result of high poverty and low income in the general population especially the rural one that is mostly engaged in agriculture (Briones, Antonio, Habito, Porio, & Songco, 2017). The recent release of Philippine Statistics Authority was the 2018 full and official poverty statistics of the Philippines, in which it was stated that the proportion of Filipino families with incomes that are not sufficient to buy their minimum basic food and non-food needs (poverty incidence among families) in 2018 was estimated at 12.1 percent. Among Filipinos, the poverty incidence was 16.7 percent in 2018 or 17.7 million poor Filipinos (Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA], 2020). In the recent nutrition situation report of the National Nutrition Council, they noted that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines is already struggling with various forms of the triple burden of malnutrition – undernutrition, overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. While there has been improvement in the situation, this has been inconsistent with the economic growth that the country has experienced. During the pandemic, the SWS survey on involuntary hunger in 2020 revealed that the average hunger rate among Filipino families was high at 21.1% (National Nutrition Council [NNC], 2021). Healthwise, the country still continues to subdue the cases of malnutrition, food poverty, and undernutrition.
Beyond food, nutrition, and agriculture, the significance of climate change and environmental degradation must also be noted. The world’s food systems are currently responsible for more than 33% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (FAO, 2021). A high demand for meat and processed meat products in the Philippines has risen in the current situation. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) heeds a report of continued decline in the consumption of fruits and vegetables among Filipinos, while the demand for meat has increased (Llorin, 2019). This is said to contribute from the greenhouse gas emissions that may be deteriorating to our environment. Globally, it is notable that climate change affects agricultural yield and production that may affect the nutrients of crops; this must serve as a reminder for everyone to be cautious of the things that may contribute to the environmental degradation. The ‘domino effect’ will not only be seen as an improvement, but this may also indicate the worsening of a situation as well. Not only the governments, private sectors, civil society, international organizations and academia will have to suffice these challenges but also the individuals in this planet too. Truth be told, here in the Philippines, Quezon City is one of the cities that have committed to working with their citizens to achieve a Planetary Health Diet for all by 2030. Planetary Health Diet are policies that they will introduce that make healthy, delicious and low-carbon food affordable and accessible for all.
Each of us has a responsibility to build awareness about the importance of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Let us not abuse our consumption of food, instead let us activate a food movement that upholds for a good change. As we mark the second time of World Food Day 2021 in a global covid-19 pandemic set-up and delegate our ‘beyond food and agriculture’ agenda, let us not neglect the idea of reconnecting with nature and start partaking with the change because we are part of one system, and we have one planet to take care of.
16 October 2021
References:
Briones, R., Antonio, E., Habito, C., Porio, E., & Songco, D. (2017). Strategic Review: Food Security and Nutrition in the Philippines. https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000015508/download/
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2021). Sustainable Developments Goals. https://www.fao.org/world-food-day/about/en/
Llorin, V. B. (2019) World Food Day in the Age of the Climate Emergency. https://www.greenpeace.org/philippines/story/3594/world-food-day-in-the-age-of-the-climate-emergency/
Mapa, D. (2021). Agricultural Value of Production Declined by -1.5 percent in the Second Quarter of 2021. Philippine Statistics Authority. https://psa.gov.ph/content/agricultural-value-production-declined-15-percent-second-quarter-2021
National Nutrition Council. (2021). 2021 Nutrition Month Presentation [pdf]. https://nnc.gov.ph/component/phocadownload/category/106
Philippine Statistics Authority. (2021). 2018 Official Poverty Statistics of the Philippines. https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2018%20Official%20Poverty%20Statistics%20v1_June%2004%2C%202020.pdf
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