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Food is an essential part of our lives. By having access to food, we can guarantee healthier lifestyles and enhance our growing and learning capacity. Think about it, have you ever tried to do homework on an empty stomach? It's hard. An empty stomach might make you angry and prevent concentration and focus.&nbsp;However, millions of people around the world cannot afford a healthy diet, putting them at high risk of food insecurity and malnutrition. The problem is access and availability of nutritious food can be a challenge for some communities and/or individuals within communities. Conflicts, climate change, inequality, rising prices, and international tensions can get in the way. According to the organization, Action Against Hunger, almost one in ten people don't have enough food to eat. That is around 3.1 billion people worldwide who can't afford a healthy, nutritious diet.A balanced diet provides the energy you need to think, focus and keep active throughout the day. This is why ensuring everyone has access to nutritious and affordable food is so important. Governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and individuals need to work together to prioritize the right of all people to food, nutrition, peace, and equality.&nbsp;<h2>Did you know October 16th is World Food Day?&nbsp;</h2>World Food Day is an international day celebrated worldwide on October 16th to commemorate the founding of the <a href="https://www.fao.org/home/en/">United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization </a>in 1945.&nbsp;Check out the video <a href="https://youtu.be/gnTV5chULxw">https://youtu.be/gnTV5chULxw</a><h2>What is Food Security?&nbsp;</h2>Food security is when people are able to access enough safe and nutritious food to meet their requirements for a healthy life in ways the planet can sustain itself in the future. In other words, it is knowing you will have something nutritious to eat for your next meal. It is not having to worry about not having food in your home and your tummy.&nbsp;According to the USDA, more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are food insecure.<h2>Action Against Hunger&nbsp;</h2>Many food security programs now exist in an international effort to tackle world hunger and food insecurity. The aim is to provide safety nets for the most vulnerable members of our society while helping small-scale farmers increase production.&nbsp;For example, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the United States helps families of low incomes afford more nutritional foods. Including:&nbsp;<ul><li>Fruits and vegetables;</li><li>Meat, poultry, and fish;</li><li>Dairy products;</li><li>Bread and cereals;</li></ul>Other foods, such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and<ul><li>Seeds and plants to produce food for the household to eat.</li></ul>However, households cannot use SNAP benefits to buy:<ul><li>Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco</li><li>Vitamins, medicines, and supplements.</li><li>Live animals&nbsp;</li><li>Pet foods&nbsp;</li><li>Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.</li></ul>There should be absolutely no shame in using any of these benefits to afford nutritional food, and any family in need should be able to access the help needed.&nbsp; &nbsp;But the United States isn't the only place with food programs. As a matter of fact, the United Nations runs a worldwide program called UN World Food Program. The UNWFP is the world's largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.It covers over 120 countries and territories and helped 128.2 million people in 2021 through food or cash distributions in emergencies, nutrition support programs, and activities to build resilience to climate and other issues.&nbsp;Play their online game, <a href="https://freerice.com/categories/english-vocabulary">Free Rice</a>, and help families in need.Freerice is an educational trivia game that helps you get smarter while making a difference for people worldwide. Every question you answer correctly raises 10 grains of rice for the <a href="https://www.wfp.org/">World Food Programme (WFP)</a> to support its work saving and changing lives around the world. &nbsp;What else can you do?Your mom has a point when she tells you not to waste food. But unfortunately, we waste far too much food in our homes while others go hungry worldwide. We must do better.&nbsp;<ul><li>Try not to waste food. Eat your leftovers</li><li>Only buy the food you need</li><li>Donate non-perishable items to food banks</li><li>Educate others</li><li>Volunteer.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Why can access to a nutritious diet make a huge difference in the quality of life and development?  Food security means a better future for all!!!

 Building the Path for a Successful Future: Food Security 

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Thinking Cap on:The best thing you can do is educate others. Share the facts with friends and family, and get involved! For example, search #WorldFoodDay2022 and find out what others are doing to help.Make a short video about why food security and having access to nutritional food is so important for kids your age. Or cook a meal with your family and learn about the costs of cooking and providing good family meals.&nbsp;

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World Food Day takes place on October 16th, 2021. The day focuses on the importance of the agri-food system. Every time you eat, you participate in the system! The food we choose to eat and the way it's produced, prepared, cooked, and stored make us an active part of how an agri-food system works. World Food Day also focuses on the importance of food production and calls upon governments to allow access to food for all.&nbsp;According to the <a href="https://www.fao.org/home/en/">Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations (FAO)</a>, more than 3 million people cannot afford a healthy diet. That is about 40% of the world's population.&nbsp;Food security is a complex topic. The challenge to achieve food security and end world hunger is one of the world's biggest hurdles. It involves producing and processing nutritious food and giving individuals all the nutrients needed to maintain an active and healthy life. But, this is easier said than done, as we face rising populations, shrinking natural and economic resources, and deterioration of soil health and local ecosystems.&nbsp;However, there's hope for food production. Farmers around the world have been applying crop diversity techniques to help keep their soil happy and healthy and yield bigger and better crops.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>What is Crop Diversity?&nbsp;</h1>Crop diversity refers to planting different crops (like carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, and beans on the same farm) and planting different varieties of one crop (like growing different types of tomatoes).&nbsp;Crop diversity at the farm level improves soil health and quality, reducing the risk of pests attacking crops and encouraging beneficial organisms to grow and enrich the soil, overall improving the economic resilience of farms. So how do farmers manage crop diversity and improve soil health? By applying a rotating cycle of diverse crops.&nbsp;Crop rotation is the practice of planting different kinds of crops, one after the other, on the same plot of land; This is done to improve soil health, optimize nutrients in the soil, and combat pest and weed pressure.For example, let's say a farmer has planted a field of corn. When the corn is harvested, he or she might plant beans in the same plot of land where the corn was before. This is done because corn consumes a lot of nitrogen, and beans return nitrogen to the soil. Therefore, a rotation takes and gives back to the soil, improving its health. A healthy soil yields a healthy crop. In some cases, a rotation might involve two or three crops, and complex rotations might incorporate a dozen or more crops.&nbsp;A well-designed crop rotation can also reduce the need for artificial fertilizers and herbicides by better using the ecosystem.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>Did you Know Crops Can Have Different Genetic Compositions?&nbsp;</h1>Genetic diversity is the basis for the survival of plants in nature and crop improvement. In addition, diversity in plant genetics provides an opportunity for plant breeders to develop new and improved breeds with desirable characteristics. Such as farmer-preferred traits like high yield potential, large seed, etc., and consumer-preferred traits such as size, color, and sweetness.&nbsp;Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are living organisms that have had their genes altered in some way. For example, crops like corn or potatoes are usually GMO. Their genetics have been tweaked in a lab to increase the amount or quality of food they produce. So, chances are, you've eaten GMO foods without even realizing it.&nbsp;According to the FDA, in 2018, 92% of corn and 94% of soybeans grown in the US came from genetically modified seeds. GMO crops grown and sold in the United States include corn, soybean, canola, sugar beet, alfalfa, cotton, potatoes, papaya, summer squash, and a few apple varieties.&nbsp;GMO crops have many advantages, but some groups have raised concerns that GMOs may have adverse health effects. Here's what you need to know about the pros and cons of GMO foods and whether you should avoid them or not.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h2>Pros</h2><ul><li>GMOs are designed to be extra healthy.</li><li>GMOs grow faster than non-GMO crops.</li><li>GMOs are more resistant to weather or pests.</li><li>GMOs are often cheaper to produce, need less water, fertilizer, or pesticides to grow.&nbsp;</li></ul><h2>Cons</h2><ul><li>GMOs may cause allergic reactions. In one instance, a GMO soybean crop created using DNA from a Brazil nut was unsafe for people with nut allergies and couldn't be released to the public.</li><li>GMOs may increase antibiotic resistance.&nbsp;</li></ul>In the United States, no regulations currently mandate the labeling of GMO foods.

Agriculture and food supply offer an infinite range of challenges and opportunities that can be addressed by science and technology. Food is important for health, but also for culture and economy. It represents a major part of trade flows and contribute to economic prosperity. People's diet not only affects their own health for better or worse, but also the environment.

World Food Day - Feeding The World One Crop at The Time

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Thinking Cap OnGet involved this World Food Day. With the help of your parents, join the online conversation on October 16th #WorldFoodDay2021. The future of food is in our hands. So make #WorldFoodDay your day – share your actions online by using the hashtag and telling us how would you help reduce food waste, increase food production or get food to those in need?Need some inspiration? Head over to our previous blog post, <a href="https://contest.diproinduca.com/blog/from-farm-to-table-where-does-food-come-from?redirect_to=%2Fblog%3Flimit%3D9%26offset%3D0%23from-farm-to-table-where-does-food-come-from">"From Farm to Table: Where does Food come from"</a> to find out how the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) helps local farmers with their Rural Voices program.

In modern cities and towns across developed countries, we are used to buying anything we need from the supermarket. Have you been to the supermarket with your parents or family members? Have you seen the variety of foods available to buy?&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Where does food come from?&nbsp;</h1>Take bread, for example. There are many varieties of bread available in our supermarkets, such as multigrain, low-carb, brown, white, etc., and many types of bread -burger buns, hot dog bread, sandwich bread, with crust, without crust, etc. Then we have different brands of the same type of bread. Which bread brand does your family buy? Can you remember without looking in the pantry?&nbsp;However, not all countries are as lucky. In some societies, the options are limited by local production. Also, in some countries, the production of new products works at a smaller scale. For example, have you ever been to a farm and witnessed the wheat planting and harvesting process? Did you know that to produce the bread you eat at home, the journey starts in a farm where farmers plant and harvest wheat kernels, sell the harvested grain to flour millers who then grind the grain into different types of flour – whole wheat, all-purpose, bread flour, etc. This flour is then sold to companies that produce bread or sell the flour directly to customers for home consumption or bakers and restaurants that make baked goods. Without the farmers, the whole process wouldn't be possible.&nbsp;The UN goal number 2, Zero Hunger, focuses on making sure everyone has access to food. And with more than a quarter of a billion people potentially at the brink of starvation, swift action needs to be taken to provide food and humanitarian relief to the most at-risk regions.According to the UN, by 2030, we must double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment. But perhaps the starting point is to educate people about the origins of food, how to produce food sustainably and how to provide more opportunities for farmers and local producers.&nbsp; &nbsp;<h1>Helping Local Farmers</h1>When it comes to the changes needed to optimize our food systems, rural small-scale farmers are the on-the-ground experts: not only do they know what it's like to navigate challenges like climate change, but they also know what it takes to produce good food for all. Small local farmers also know what governmental changes allow for smoother processes both for agricultural development and good quality produce from farm to table. Many seem to agree changes in access to finance and training are urgently needed. By accessing better financing to get small farmers started, buying grains and cattle, getting established, and having better access to education for the younger generations, we can optimize food production long-term.&nbsp;RURAL VOICES – BHUTAN – KINLEY PENJOR <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=079ikO03qY8&amp;t=28s ">video</a> &nbsp;With this in mind, the <a href="https://www.ifad.org/ruralvoices/">International Fund for Agricultural Development</a> (IFAD) project Rural Voices focuses on gathering information from small rural farmers and food producers worldwide. The IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency based in Rome, at the UN's food and agriculture hub. Since 1978, they have provided US$23.2 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached an estimated 518 million people. The IFAD invests in rural small-scale farmers and empowers them to increase food security and improve the nutrition of their local communities.&nbsp;In which ways do you think you could help local farmers where you live?&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Agriculture, Old but Still Cool&nbsp;</h1>Did you know agricultural communities developed approximately 10,000 years ago when humans began to domesticate plants and animals?&nbsp;According to experts, the first crops humans started cultivating included emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, hulled barley, peas, lentils, bitter vetch, chickpeas, and flaxseed. Many of these are still around today.&nbsp;Head over to the bonus content section at the end for an easy, yummy lentil recipe you can make for your whole family.&nbsp;Agriculture is at the center of the economy. Agriculture drives exports and imports and keeps the population fed. Agriculture is the single largest employer in the world, providing livelihoods for 40% of the global population. Yet often the general population knows so little about what it takes to be a sustainable local farmer.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Bonus Content: Food Waste Warrior, let's cook together!&nbsp;</h1>Your mom or dad made lentil soup, and you have some leftovers. What do you do? In our previous end hunger post, we talked about <a href="https://contest.diproinduca.com/blog/become-a-food-waste-warrior?redirect_to=%2Fblog%3Flimit%3D9%26offset%3D9%23become-a-food-waste-warrior">becoming a food waste warrior</a>; let's try to put that in practice once again.Let's make lentil fritters. You will need:&nbsp;<h2>Ingredients</h2><ul><li>leftover lentils (300g approx.)</li><li>A handful of chopped herbs (parsley or cilantro)&nbsp;</li><li>1 chopped spring onion</li><li>50g gram of any flour</li><li>2 carrots</li><li>2 zucchinis&nbsp;</li><li>½ tsp toasted sesame seeds</li><li>½ tsp sesame oil</li><li>juice of 1 lemon</li><li>1 tbsp cooking oil&nbsp;</li></ul><h3>Method</h3><ul><li>Mix the leftover lentils with the chopped herbs, spring onion, and flour, then set aside. Use a peeler (or ask a grown-up to help) to cut the carrots and zucchini into long ribbons. Mix the sesame seeds, sesame oil, and lime juice and add to the carrot and zucchini ribbons.&nbsp;</li><li>Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan. Very carefully spoon in four dollops of the lentil mixture and flatten into patties. Fry each side until golden and serve with the ribbon salad. Enjoy it! &nbsp;</li></ul>

Zero Hunger, focuses on making sure everyone has access to food. And with more than a quarter of a billion people potentially at the brink of starvation, swift action needs to be taken to provide food and humanitarian relief to the most at-risk regions.

From Farm to Table: Where does food come from? 

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<h2>Thinking Cap On:&nbsp;</h2>Do some online research with your family and find a local farm that sells fresh produce. Plan to head over there to see the products they sell and speak with the farmer or shopkeepers about their harvesting and seasonal produce. Then make a poster explaining the pros and cons of buying local produce. Is it better for the environment? Carbon footprint? Local economy? How can you help your community by educating more people about the pros of buying local?&nbsp;

Hunger, we have all been there. When you feel irritable and cranky, with little energy, you may even feel nauseous. Your stomach feels empty, and you can't concentrate on anything else. However, most of us are fortunate enough to eat after a short while and feel like new again.&nbsp;But not everyone is always so fortunate.&nbsp;According to UNICEF, approximately 3.1 million children die from undernutrition each year, making hunger and undernutrition one of the number one causes of child deaths globally.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Understanding Hunger and Malnutrition</h1>It is not just to eat that matters; it is the quality of the nutrients and caloric intake sufficiency that make the difference.&nbsp;Malnutrition is a broad term used to define poor nutrition. It can be classified into three different categories:<ul><li>Undernutrition: caused by an inadequate consumption or deficiency of caloric consumption.&nbsp;</li><li>Micronutrient-related malnutrition caused by lack of vitamins or nutrients); and</li><li>Overnutrition: which can lead to obesity and diet-related diseases such as heart disease or diabetes.&nbsp;</li></ul>When people are undernourished, it becomes harder for them to sustain growth, resist infections, and recover from a disease. They lack the energy to keep functioning. Undernutrition makes children in particular much more vulnerable to illness and death. Around 45% of child deaths – three million worldwide – are linked to undernutrition.&nbsp;Thinking Caps OnNext time you go to the supermarket with your parents, pay attention to food labels. Have a look at the vitamins and nutrients available in everyday food items you can find at the supermarket. How can you determine which foods are more nutrient-dense?&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>What's for Dinner?&nbsp;</h1>An estimated 26.4 per cent of the world population, about 2 billion persons, were affected by moderate or severe food insecurity in 2018.&nbsp;Food insecurity can be defined as the disruption of food intake or eating patterns due to a lack of money and other resources. Food insecurity may be long term or temporary. Food insecurity can be offset by a change in income or employment, by disability or even by race or ethnicity. The risk for food insecurity increases when money to buy food is limited or not available, which is why unemployment can negatively affect a household's food security status.&nbsp;According to HealthyPeople.gov, in 2004, 17.4 million U.S. households were food insecure at some time during the year.&nbsp;In the United States, food assistance programs, such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), address barriers to accessing healthy food.&nbsp;The United Nations World Food Program delivers over 4 million tons of food to nearly 100 million people each year in more than 80 countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Food Waste: Don't Throw that Away Just Yet</h1>Food waste refers to food that is served but not eaten, or it can also refer to food that is thrown away too soon. Sometimes we can repurpose food; for example, peels and rinds considered inedible can be used to feed animals or be composted rather than trashed.&nbsp;Food Waste in SchoolsThere are many reasons why food is being wasted at school. From too much food being prepared and not served to food being thrown away uneaten because of portion sizes, taste, lack of time, poor dining experience or a combination of all these factors.A new World Wildlife Fund report estimates U.S. school food waste totals 530,000 tons per year and costs as much as $9.7 million a day to manage. Imagine about 39.2 pounds of food waste and 19.4 gallons of milk thrown away per school per year*.&nbsp;The food waste problem goes far beyond schools. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, about 40% of food made in the U.S. is wasted, resulting in a loss of $160 billion per year.We can and should do better than that!&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<h1>Inspired? Read more:&nbsp;</h1>Food Waste Solutions <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/food-waste-warriors">https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/food-waste-warriors</a>Fair Trade &nbsp;<a href="https://www.fairtrade.net/product">https://www.fairtrade.net/product</a> &nbsp;

Hunger, we have all been there. When you feel irritable and cranky, with little energy, you may even feel nauseous. Your stomach feels empty, and you can't concentrate on anything else.

Become a Food Waste Warrior

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Thinking Caps On:&nbsp;Districts across the country are seeking ways to eliminate food waste to save both money and the environment. For example, Sheridan Elementary School in Nebraska decided to tackle food waste by filling compost bins with 150 pounds of leftover food and reducing food waste/trash to only 18 pounds during about three weeks.Those figures mean 90% of the school's food waste was composted! How can you reduce food waste at home and at school? Create a plan to help reduce waste by implementing recycling techniques (hello arts and crafts using recycled materials) and food composting techniques. Or consider donating the extra food to a local food bank. Possibilities are endless.<h2>How to Help: Short Term Solutions</h2><ol><li>Donate to your local food bank or food pantry.&nbsp;</li><li>Start a food drive. &nbsp;</li><li>Reduce Food Waste&nbsp;</li></ol><h2>How to Help: Long Term Solutions&nbsp;</h2><ol><li>Raising Farm Productivity - education, female farmers, fertilizers, low technology techniques</li><li>Crops for Human Consumption (not animals)</li><li>Fair Trade, when producers in developing countries are paid a fair price for their work by companies in developed countries.&nbsp;</li></ol>