World Food Day

World Food Day (water-themed this year):

Water, an essential element for life, comprises over half of our bodies and covers around 71% of Earth’s surface. Despite this, only a fraction – 2.5% – is fresh and suitable for drinking, farming, and industry. Crucial for economies, societies, and nature, water sustains agriculture, which consumes 72% of global freshwater resources. However, rapid urbanization, climate change, and population growth are straining water resources. Over the past decades, individual access to freshwater has decreased by 20%, while its quality declines due to pollution, climate change, and poor management. Currently, 2.4 billion people reside in water-stressed countries, affecting smallholder farmers, women, Indigenous Peoples, migrants, and refugees. This scarcity intensifies competition and conflict. Moreover, around 600 million individuals relying on aquatic food systems face pollution, ecosystem degradation, unsustainable practices, and climate change impacts.

Freshwater availability has decreased by 20% per person in recent decades, and poor management, pollution, and over-extraction of groundwater further deteriorate water quality. This poses a significant challenge for the 2.4 billion people in water-stressed countries, especially marginalized groups like farmers and refugees. Additionally, around 600 million individuals dependent on aquatic food systems suffer from pollution, ecosystem degradation, unsustainable practices, and climate-related disruptions.