World Food Day 2021 will be celebrated on Saturday, 16 October, with the theme: “Our actions are our future – Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life.”

World Food Day will be marked for a second time against the backdrop of countries around the world dealing with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In light of this, World Food Day 2021 will celebrate food heroes – farmers and other food system workers – who are ensuring access to food even through unprecedented disruptions caused by Covid-19.

Supporting agricultural productivity is at the heart of what we do at Self Help Africa. And although worldwide, there is enough food produced to feed everyone in the world, our food systems remain out of balance. Food is something that many of us take for granted, but just as many go without.

More than 3 billion people – or almost 40% of the world’s population – can’t afford a healthy diet. Why is this? It’s not just the quantity of the food, but also the quality of food being produced that is important. A balanced diet is essential to help vulnerable families Self Help Africa works with, so that they can escape hunger and poverty.

We all have a role to play in transforming our food systems, particularly younger people. The global movement to protect the planet and feed its inhabitants in a sustainable way cannot happen without the participation of young people – getting young African’s on board is vital. Almost 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25, making it the world’s youngest continent.

We must give young people hope that there is a future for them in the food industry. Long term investment in rural workers is key to reducing poverty and improving our food systems. 

World Food Day calls for global solidarity to help all populations, especially the most vulnerable, to recover from the crisis, and take action to improve our food systems. An essential part of this will be sustainable agricultural practices that preserve natural resources, and the climate.

World Food Day is commemorated annually, and promotes global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger, and the need to ensure healthy diets for all. If you can, please donate to Self Help Africa and help us support rural poor communities to improve nutrition and food systems.