News releases

Pope Francis joins other leaders with messages for global event paying tribute to Food Heroes

Rome - World Food Day 2021 celebrations began today, with a global event where participants noted that while the challenges of global hunger, climate crisis and COVID-19 remain formidable, there is also a new momentum and energy behind efforts to transform our agri-food systems, making them more fit for purpose.

Pressing need to upscale both food aid and agricultural livelihoods assistance to head off a worst-case scenario

ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR: With each day that passes, more lives are at stake as hunger tightens its grip in southern Madagascar. This is the stark warning from two United Nations agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), as they seek to draw international attention to a humanitarian crisis that risks being invisible.

The online public consultation will feed into the organizations’ strategic outlooks and provide a platform to share ideas to accelerate achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have launched an online public consultation to obtain inputs on how the UN agencies can collaborate in key areas in the coming years.

ROME - The United Nations and the Government of Italy announced today that the Pre-Summit gathering for the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit will be in Rome, Italy from July 19 to July 21, 2021.

Rome – Hunger and famine will persist and there will be unequal recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic unless more women in rural and urban areas hold leadership positions with increased decision-making power, say the heads of the three United Nations’ food agencies ahead of their joint International Women’s Day event on 8 March.

Bangkok, Thailand – The economic impact of COVID-19 on the world’s most populous region is threatening to further undermine efforts to improve diets and nutrition of nearly two billion people in Asia and the Pacific who were already unable to afford healthy diets prior to the pandemic, says a new report published today by four specialized agencies of the United Nations.

Securing healthy diets for the billions who cannot afford them would save trillions in costs

Rome, 13 July 2020 – More people are going hungry, an annual study by the United Nations has found. Tens of millions have joined the ranks of the chronically undernourished over the past five years, and countries around the world continue to struggle with multiple forms of malnutrition.

ROME – The World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of €3 million from the European Union (EU), which will strengthen global efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition by supporting the Committee on World Food Security.

FAO, IFAD and WFP conclude three-day visit to see nutrition programmes

16 May 2019, Vientiane – The heads of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) today concluded a joint visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with a call for greater investment in nutrition.

Findings of a new hunger report to be launched during a High-Level Event of the Global Network Against Food Crises, Brussels, 2-3 April 2019

ROME – A group of prominent women joined the three Rome-based United Nations agencies today, to mark International Women’s Day at an event recognising women’s contributions to building smart solutions for those who are excluded from decision making and influencing development in all sectors.

COLOMBO – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) today kicked off World Food Day 2018 under the patronage of His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, in line with the global theme: ‘Our Actions are Our Future. A #Zero Hunger world by 2030 is possible’. This year’s focus of World Food Day was the importance of good nutrition for a healthy nation.

ADDIS ABABA - Speaking at the conclusion of a four-day visit to Ethiopia, including to the drought-stricken Somali region, the heads of the United Nations food agencies made a joint call for greater investment in long-term activities that strengthen people’s resilience to drought and the impacts of climate shocks.

Around 7.7 million people require urgent humanitarian assistance, FAO and WFP warn

JUBA – All parties to the conflict in South Sudan must cease violence and work together to ensure that food and other lifesaving support can reach people to end famine and severe hunger, the heads of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said yesterday.

NADI – Preparing for and responding to natural disasters as they affect access to food for millions of people in the Pacific Islands, is one of the major themes that was discussed at the first-ever meeting of the Regional Pacific Food Security Cluster in Nadi, Fiji this week.

$67 million needed in food aid and farming support for upcoming planting season

Urgent assistance to farmers critical to stemming growing food insecurity, UN agencies say

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.

Pontiff cites Saint Teresa of Calcutta as inspiration for all

ROME - Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who devoted her life to assisting the poorest of the poor, stands as an inspiration to all to work together to eradicate hunger and poverty worldwide, Pope Francis told FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva and WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin in a short meeting yesterday.

Joint WFP-IFAD Press Release

KHARTOUM - The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote food security through improvement of agricultural production among smallholder farmers in Sudan.

FAO and WFP say law will greatly enhance worldwide efforts to combat hunger and rural poverty

Situation expected to deteriorate if fighting continues – over half of the population living in crisis

FAO and WFP extending critical support to farming families in Central African Republic during lean season

2016 cereal deficit about 53 percent higher than in 2015; food prices soaring as markets collapse. JUBA – Civil strife and unfavourable rains have further reduced crop production in South Sudan, contributing to a cereal deficit of 381,000 metric tons - 53 percent greater than in 2015 - and aggravating the already severe food shortages, two UN agencies warned today.