The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the occasion of World Food Day, issued the following statement:
«World Food Day is a valuable opportunity to think about the dramatic consequences of the pandemic, marked by rising levels of poverty and malnutrition.
The global food security situation has considerably worsened. The international community will have to be able to follow up the recommendations of the recent summit on food systems, exploiting the natural synergies of the UN system and the expertise of the UN agencies based in Rome.
Italy, the current G20 president, has chosen the three pillars of People, Planet and Prosperity.
It’s about taking up one of the most ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals: “eradicating hunger”.
The Matera Declaration on food security and the effort to create a new “food coalition” are key points to build on, fully respecting the food cultures of each of us and being aware that there are no ready-made solutions to reach the goal of “Zero Hunger”.
Environmental sustainability is also crucial in achieving this and addresses the climate impact of agricultural production and livestock farming.
COP26 on climate change, in which Italy is involved in a partnership with the United Kingdom, will be an important milestone towards a focus on the relationship between nutrition and environmental care, an essential issue if we want to hand the younger generations a future full of opportunities.»