United Nations agencies in Rome vow to take forward Zero Hunger Challenge

Joint FAO, IFAD, WFP news release

22 September 2016, New York - The heads of the Rome-based food and agriculture agencies today thanked United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his personal commitment and leadership in challenging the world to reach Zero Hunger. They promised to maintain momentum to reach the ambitious target by 2030.

The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched in 2012 by Secretary-General Ban who handed the Zero Hunger initiative on to the three agencies today at an event in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

"Many have responded to the Zero Hunger Challenge," the Secretary-General said. "As I end my term in office, I am asking FAO, WFP and IFAD to take my Challenge forward. I am confident they will not rest until Zero Hunger is a reality."

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Jos Graziano da Silva, the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Kanayo F. Nwanze, and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Ertharin Cousin, committed their organizations to take 0ver the Zero Hunger Challenge and pursue its goals.

Speaking ahead of the "Pathways to Zero Hunger" event, sponsored by the three agencies, the UN Global Compact and the office of the SG's youth envoy, FAO Director-General Jos Graziano da Silva said: "There was a time when food security, nutrition, rural livelihoods, and sustainable agriculture were viewed as separate tasks, as the responsibility of different actors, and with different purposes.

"The success of the Zero Hunger pioneered in Brazil and adopted and adapted in countries throughout the world show that these issues should be tackled together, in an all out effort involving governments, international institutions, family farmers, civil society and the private sector," said Graziano da Silva.

"The Secretary-Generalhas always urged us towork as partners and build a truly global movementtowards Zero Hunger.His leadershipisan inspiration and wein Romemustnowplayan even greater roletogeneratemomentum andstrengthen partnerships torealizehis vision of a world free from hunger,"saidWFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin.

In Rome, ahead of the New York event, IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze said, "With almost 800 million people going to bed hungry every night, it is vital that we build on the momentum generated by the Zero Hunger Challenge and the Secretary-General. Together we can deliver zero hunger, but only if we focus on rural areas of developing countries where most of the world's poorest and hungriest people live."

The Zero Hunger Challenge calls on leaders, businesses and civil society to step up efforts to end hunger in our lifetimes. It is based around five objectives: access to enough food and a healthy diet for all people, all year round; an end to malnutrition in all its forms; sustainable food systems form production to consumption; an end to rural poverty -- doubling smallholder productivity and incomes; adapting food systems to eliminate loss and waste.

FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO assists developing countries and countries in transition to modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. FAO focuses special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. Follow FAO on Twitter: @FAOnews, @FAOknowledge

IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided over US$17.6 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached about 459 million people. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency based in Rome - the UN's food and agriculture hub. Follow IFAD on Twitter: @IFADnews

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries. Follow WFP on Twitter: @wfp_media