Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

16 October 2023

World Food Day

Water is life, water is food. 
Leave no one behind. 

Water is essential to life on Earth. It covers the majority of the Earth's surface, makes up over 50% of our bodies, produces our food, and supports livelihoods.  

But this precious resource is not infinite and we need to stop taking it for granted. What we eat, and how that food is produced all affect water. 

Together, we can take water action for food and be the change. 

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WFD Flagship events

This year's World Food Day Flagship events made waves! Watch the webcast of the Global World Food Day Ceremony and Junior World Food Day event.

On 16 October, the Heads of the Rome-based UN agencies and other special guests participated in the World Food Day ceremony, which also featured special messages from Pope Francis and the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres as well as the presentation of the FAO’s Achievement Award. Later in the week, on 19 October, the third edition of Junior World Food Day took place. Special guests, such as chefs, influencers and advocates, joined young people for music, art and dance, and shared stories to inspire water action for food.

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Promo video 

Watch and share the World Food Day promotional video and join the call for action!   

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New music for Junior World Food Day!  

Students from different countries and cultures unite to call for water action for food through song and dance in the multilingual music video "Water is Food, Water is Life". This song produced by Kabin Studio and performed by the multicultural Piccola Orchestra di Tor Pignattara will inspire young people to become change-makers and advocates for a more water-secure world. Don’t miss the wave and listen carefully for the water actions YOU can take for the future of food, people, and the planet.

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Check our 60 finalists of the World Food Day Poster Contest 2023!

We received thousands of great posters this year from around the world and our jury had a tough time deciding.

Stay tuned while our Jury members vote for the first, second and third prize in each age category.

Winners will be announced on 18 December 2023.

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Explore how YOU can take action 

Governments, the private sector, farmers, academia, civil society and individuals need to work together to address water challenges. We need to produce more food, fiber, animal feed and biofuel with less water, while ensuring water is distributed equally, our aquatic food systems are safeguarded, and nobody is left behind.   

Every one of us, including youth, can take water action for the future of food, people, and the planet. 

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Agriculture accounts for 72% of global freshwater withdrawals, while 16% is used by industries, and 12% by municipalities for households and services.
Currently 2.4 billion people live in water-stressed countries, and approximately 10% of the global population live in countries with high and critical water stress.
Global water demand for agriculture is expected to increase by 35% by 2050. 
Over 80% of the world's wastewater is released to the environment without being treated.
Around 74% of all disasters from 2001-2018 were water-related, causing almost USD 700 billion in economic damage. 
Since 2000, flood-related disasters have increased by 134%, and the number and duration of droughts increased by 29%. 
Wetlands - the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems - are disappearing three times faster than forests, and 85% have been lost over the past 300 years. 
Limiting global warming to 1.5°C, compared to 2°C, will benefit water resources and reduce water stress induced by climate change.   
Around 600 million people depend, at least partially, on aquatic food systems for a living.
Almost 1 billion tonnes of food – 17% of all food available to consumers worldwide – is thrown away each year, resulting in the waste of precious resources, such as water, that were used to produce it. 
95% of our food is produced on land and all begins with soil and water.   

Join us

Whether you're a government, city, private business, non-government or civil society organization, journalist or individual, you can get involved and call for action. We can provide you with multimedia content in several languages to share and support your World Food Day activity.

Contact us if you need more information.

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Events

Find out about all the events and promotional activities happening worldwide for World Food Day.

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Madrid (Spain)

iryo se suma a la celebración del Día Mundial de la Alimentación para concienciar sobre la importancia de preservar el agua
19/09/2023 - 16/10/2023

iryo, primer operador privado español de Alta Velocidad participado por los socios de Trenitalia, Air Nostrum y Globalvia que inició sus operaciones...

Rome (Italy)

Launch of the FAO Park's Global Library of Trees and Flowers
03/07/2023

As part of a partnership with Roma Capitale, the FAO Park's Global Library of Trees and Flowers will engage schools and the public...

World Food Day - It's your day!

Collective action across 150 countries worldwide, in up to 50 languages, is what makes World Food Day one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. Hundreds of events and outreach activities bring together governments, municipalities, businesses, CSOs, the media, the public, even youth. They promote worldwide awareness of hunger and promote action for the future of food, people and the planet. 

Together we can create a better, more sustainable food future for all. Make #WorldFoodDay YOUR day. Join the call by organizing an event or activity or show how you are taking action. 

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