Ghana Reaffirms Commitment to Food Security and the Right to Food in Global Celebration

In collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana joins other member nations to celebrate the 44th edition of World Food Day, underscoring the fundamental human right to food. After air and water, food is the third most essential need for human survival, and ensuring universal access to it is vital.

This year’s World Food Day emphasizes the importance of providing food that is diverse, nutritious, affordable, accessible, safe, and sustainable for everyone, leaving no one behind.

The theme for World Food Day 2024, “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future,” stresses the importance of food in promoting health, well-being, and sustainable development. The right to food is a cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its associated Development Goals the SDGs.

At the Flag Raising Ceremony in Accra today, speakers emphasized the need for a renewed commitment to prioritize the right to food as part of a broader agenda for human rights and global development.

“Currently, the world’s farmers produce enough food to feed the global population. Smallholder and family farmers, often the unsung heroes, are at the heart of this achievement,” said Priya Gujadhur, FAO Representative to Ghana (ai). 

This year’s World Food Day holds special significance as it coincides with FAO’s 79th anniversary, leading into the 80th-anniversary celebrations in early 2025. These milestones offer an opportunity to reflect on FAO’s decades of achievements while outlining future strategies to transform agrifood systems to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. 

Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in charge of crops, delivering the keynote address, underscored the significance of this year’s theme, stating,

“The theme, ‘The Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future Leave No One Behind, is both timely and critical. It calls on all of us to reflect on the central role food plays in the survival of the human race. Food is a basic human right, and we must ensure sustained availability and access to good food”, said the Deputy Minister. 

Aurore Rusiga, the WFP Representative and Country Director observed that access to safe and nutritious food is a fundamental right, and achieving the right to food for all Ghanaians requires a collective commitment to ensure no one is left behind.

Rosemary Abbey, Director of Finance and Administration, also highlighted the broader impact of World Food Day, noting, that the commemoration of World Food Day provides a platform to spotlight the need for collective action to ensure we meet our national food and nutritional goals for sustainable development.

Food is the foundation of life, nourishing individuals, communities, and the future. This year’s theme emphasizes the need to build resilient food systems capable of overcoming global challenges and securing food security for all.

By celebrating World Food Day, Ghana reaffirms its commitment to creating a world where no one is left behind, and the right to food is universally upheld. This global movement calls on governments, organizations, and individuals to take collective action to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food, contributing to a food-secure and sustainable future.