Do you know that today is World Food Day? Yes,
world food day celebrated annually on 16 October. World food day was first
initiated by World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the 20th
general conference in Rome, Italy. They set a World Food Day with the United
Nations Resolution No. 1 of 1979. Dated October 16, chosen as the world food day
because it coincided with the formation of the FAO.
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World Food Day is the originator of the idea
of Hungarian delegation led by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Pal
Romany Hungary. FAO member countries then agreed that starting in 1981 all
member countries of FAO, World Food Day will commemorate every year.
The issue of food security is the theme of the
most commonly raised in warning the world food day globally. Celebration of the
world food day is a moment that reminds that the power of each state is
determined by its ability to meet the food needs of the whole community in a
sustainable manner.
Until now, the food crisis is a challenge that
must be faced by every country in the world. In fact, globally, the supply of food
is actually enough to feed twice the number of people today. However, the
uneven distribution of food makes hunger experienced by many of the global
community, while others are actually obese.
Due to poverty, consumers in poor countries
cannot access the food. Thus, in various manifestations of hunger continues to
exist in poor countries. Every seven seconds a child under 10 years of age die
of hunger, and 1.02 billion people are permanently severely malnourished. This
is a global problem that is difficult and can be a threat achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals: reducing poverty to 50 percent by 2015.
The problem of hunger is identical to the
problem of poverty. Hunger is often the case in the poor and developing
countries. While developed countries are still able to enjoy the abundant food
and even able to export food. In range 1997-2003, developed countries have a
self-sufficiency ratio (surplus food) that is high with an increasingly diverse
commodities. For example, the French cereal self-sufficiency ratio of 2.38;
Canada 1.94; USA 1.46; English 1.17; Germany 1.13; and Italy 1.12.
Self-sufficiency in developed countries was
achieved with a level of protection and subsidies that are very high. For
example, 80 percent of rice farmers' income comes from subsidies OECD.
Protection in the European Union (EU) in 2000 reached 34 percent. That is, for
each $ 100 value of output received by agricultural producers in the EU, USD34
is the transfer of income (protection) in various forms.
In addition to the EU, high protection
occurred in the South Korea (73 percent), Norway (66 percent) and Japan (64
percent). Protected commodities such as rice (5.43), sugar (2,04), and milk
(1.85). That is, the price of milk by 1.85, 2.04 sugar, and rice 5.43 from the
price parity. As a result of protection and subsidies enormous that developed
countries have a surplus of food. In the end, this is the result of surplus
food production is exported into an economic commodity.
But, developing countries are often rely on
similar commodities. Because the cheap price of food imports, the domestic
production of farmers is not considered competitive. Then, it will reduce the
number of farmer and the food production, as well as reducing the wealth of
farmers.
World Food Day reminds us that the food crisis
is still a big hit this world. Data from FAO indicate that about 842 million
people worldwide do not get enough food to eat. That means, every one of the
eight people sleep in hungry, on every night. Most of the population that lacks
nutrients is in Africa, followed by Southern Asia and most of East Asia.
However, the good news is the number of people with chronic hunger has declined
17 percent since 1992.
However, the threat of climate change
threatens the global food crisis. Until 2050, climate change and drought can
endanger the lives of 24 million children around the world. Most of them are in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Children are the most vulnerable to the threat
of famine. One third of deaths among children under the age of five in
developing countries are caused by malnutrition. In fact, thousand the first
day after a child's birth is a critical time for their development. Adequate
nutrition during this time can prevent a child from a tendency to suffer from
mental illnesses and other physical, and vice versa.
As a form of commitment to address global
hunger, the Zero Hunger Challenge, launched by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
to stimulate the world support against hunger around the world.
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