World Food Day 2024, held on 16 October, reminds us of the need to assess world hunger and ensure everybody has access to nutritious foods
Although food is a basic human necessity, many people still struggle to maintain a healthy diet, affecting their well-being and long-term development.
Proving food for those who need it
Over 2.8 billion people worldwide can’t afford a balanced and nutritious diet. Improving public food services would be an effective way of addressing this issue, especially in schools and universities.
School meals are important for children and young people, providing a large portion of their daily energy intake. For many children, these meals can be the difference between a healthy life and the risks of malnutrition or obesity.
Research shows that providing healthy, sustainable meals in schools is an affordable public health strategy that benefits both individual health and the environment. However, not all schools offer healthy lunches, and obesity rates among children in Europe continue to rise.
Advocating for healthier school meals
Efforts are underway to change this. Advocacy groups like ICLEI Europe, WeMove Europe, and Avaaz are calling for policies that ensure every child receives at least one nutritious meal per day at school.
This has gained significant support, with over 100,000 signatures on a petition asking the European Commission to prioritise healthy school meals and food education. These measures could also help implement the European Child Guarantee, a framework aimed at securing basic rights for vulnerable children, including access to nutritious food.
Local governments can play a key role in driving this transformation by setting policies that provide healthier and more sustainable food in public canteens. Supporting this aligns with more general goals to create fairer and healthier food systems, especially as global organisations like the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) continue their efforts to combat hunger and promote food security.
This year’s World Food Day theme emphasises that a better future is possible when we prioritise food rights and sustainability. Collaborative efforts between governments, organisations, and communities are essential to ensuring that everyone, especially children, has access to nutritious food, setting the stage for a healthier, more just world.
