U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's Message on World Food Day

On October 16, I join others across the globe in celebrating World Food Day.  World Food Day commemorates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which for more than 75 years has played a vital role in strengthening food security and alleviating global hunger.

FAO was created to solve big, complex problems that impact people around the world and where no single country alone can address the enormity of global challenges.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a strong supporter of FAO’s work, which is more vital now than ever.  Food and agriculture face unprecedented challenges—extreme weather and climate shifts, ongoing conflicts, and population growth—which all result in rising food insecurity that has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. 

We all must work together to overcome these challenges.  The evidence is strong that economic growth and supply chain resilience follow when countries work together toward establishing productive food systems, market-based economies, transparent trade rules, and alignment of science-based regulatory systems. 

This year’s World Food Day theme is “Our Actions are Our Future.  Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment for a Better Life.”  I truly believe what we do today will change the world we see tomorrow.  This is why I am proud to lead USDA, where I can and will continue to put U.S. agriculture at the forefront of sustainability.  

Agricultural innovation as well as research and development can enhance existing approaches and deliver new ways to sustainably increase agricultural productivity, improve livelihoods, conserve nature and biodiversity, and adapt and build resilience to climate change.  I am pleased to highlight the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), a new initiative that will be launched at COP26.  The goal of AIM for Climate is to increase and accelerate global innovation and research and development in agriculture and food systems in support of climate action.  

Coalitions formed through the Food Systems Summit also allow us to join together in common purpose.  The United States is forming a new coalition on Sustainable Productivity Growth for Food Security and Resource Conservation, and I invite all of you to join this partnership.  Only through sustainable productivity growth can we meet the world’s growing nutrition needs without bankrupting farmers, consumers, and the planet.

We must work together to address shared challenges and create innovative solutions to improve food security and drive economic growth around the world.  Together, we can make our food systems more productive, more resilient, and more sustainable.  In doing so, we can shape the future of food and agriculture for the better.