World Food Day is observed every year on 16 October to honour the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 1945. UP is collaborating with various organisations on a campaign to commemorate the day.

The African Research Universities Alliance, UK Research and Innovation, Global Challenges Research Fund and Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa) is hosting a joint virtual campaign to commemorate World Food Day on 16 October 2020, the theme of which is “African Action for Zero Hunger”.

The campaign is being organised in collaboration with UP, the University of Leeds, with support from their Global Food and Environment Institute, as well as the Food, Agriculture, and National Resources Policy Analysis Network.

World Food Day is observed in honour of the establishment of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (UN). The general focus of the day is on food security, nutrition and agricultural transformation. In view of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), commemorations in previous years have emphasised accelerating sustainable progress towards SDG2 – Zero Hunger.

The FSNet-Africa campaign aims to highlight important policy choices to secure sustainable food systems for Africa in the future. The organisation seeks to strengthen food systems research capabilities and the translation of evidence into implementable policy solutions and practical interventions in support of the interrelated SDG targets for Africa (focusing on SDG 2 – Zero Hunger) and the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods.

The campaign will include a series of policy-focused vlogs and accompanying blogs, opinion pieces, a webinar that will be held on World Food Day, on 16 October, and a policy brief that synthesises the policy recommendations discussed in the vlog series.

Follow the campaign on Twitter (@FSNetAFrica) or visit these websites over the next two weeks: FANRPAN, GFEI and GCRF-AFRICAP.

Campaign materials can be accessed via the following links:

BLOG #1 October 1 - African Action for Zero Hunger: FSNet-Africa Launches World Food Day Campaign

VLOG #1 October 1 - FSNet-Africa World Food Day Campaign: African Action for Zero Hunger

BLOG #2 October 2 - Can the sub-Saharan African Food System be climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive?

VLOG #2 October 2 - Can the sub-Saharan African Food System be climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive?

BLOG #3 October 5 - African Food Systems: Science and Partnerships for Impact

VLOG #3 October 5 - African Food Systems: Science and Partnerships for Impact

BLOG #4 October 5 - Research and Innovation Priorities for African Food Systems

VLOG #4 October 5 - Research and Innovation Priorities for African Food Systems

BLOG #5 October 6 - How can conservation agriculture help African farmers combat climate change

VLOG #5 October 6 - How can conservation agriculture help African farmers combat climate change

BLOG #6 October 7 - Simple solutions for a balanced diet during the COVID-19 pandemic

VLOG #6 October 7 - Simple solutions for a balanced diet during the COVID-19 pandemic

BLOG #7 October 8 - The Global Food and Environment Institute: Addressing global food systems challenges

VLOG #7 October 8 - The Global Food and Environment Institute: Addressing global food systems challenges

BLOG #8 October 9 - World Food Day: A Science Communicator's Perspective

VLOG #8 October 9 - World Food Day: A Science Communicator's Perspective

This article is published as part of a joint campaign for World Food Day led by the ARUA-UKRI GCRF Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa) in partnership with the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), the University of Leeds’ Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI), and the GCRF-AFRICAP Project. You can follow our campaign on Twitter @FSNetAFrica or visit our partners’ websites over the next two weeks - FANRPAN, GFEI, and GCRF-AFRICAP.