Showcasing the right to food in India

United Nations agencies are spotlighting the need for nutrition security across India to ensure that everyone in the world’s most populous country has access to safe and healthy food.

Marking World Food Day, which falls on 16 October, the three Rome-based agencies – the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP) – focused on the theme Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future.

At a joint event at UN House in New Delhi, the agencies brought together senior government officials, policymakers, experts, academics, civil society representatives and farmers for panel discussions around the theme.

Panellists considered key contemporary challenges, including climate change’s impact on agriculture, the need for increased crop yields, and ensuring fair compensation for farmers. 

The event highlighted India's transition from the Green Revolution era of food self-sufficiency to a new focus on nutrition security. It emphasized the ongoing need to diversify food sources, improve dietary practices, and ensure all segments of society have access to safe, nutritious food.

Elisabeth Faure, WFP India Representative and Country Director, noted that India was one of just 10 countries worldwide to have enshrined the right to food in its laws.

“Upholding the right to food addresses inequalities and helps reduce poverty. India has made tremendous progress towards this,” she said. 

Ulaç Demirag, IFAD’s India Country Director and Representative, IFAD, stressed that “continued efforts and targeted investments are necessary to address food access inequalities so as to ensure that everyone benefits from India’s agricultural advancements.” 

Closing the event, Takayuki Hagiwara, FAO Representative in India, reaffirmed the agencies’ collective commitment and responsibility. “We must continue to support our farmers, especially smallholders, strengthen livelihoods, and ensure that food is adequate, available and accessible to all, leaving no one behind,” he said. 

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