"Women feed the world" is the theme of this year's World Food Day. Organised by the United Nations and celebrated today in more than 150 countries, it aims to raise awareness of the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.
"Every year, World Food Day reminds us of a tragic reality - that the war against hunger is still being fought," said UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan. "In this 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the right to food for all, the most fundamental of human rights, still eludes millions of people."
Mr Annan pointed out that more than 800 million people suffered from chronic hunger or malnutrition, and 200 million of these were children. The reasons were diverse - in Bangladesh, it was an environmental catastrophe; in Sudan, war; and in Iraq, sanctions.
And yet the world has enough food and the technological capacity to nourish everyone. This year, the UN is placing the spotlight on women, who in many parts of the world are central to the production of food. In Africa, for example, women grow and sell 80 to 90 per cent of food.
"In the face of poverty, natural disasters and war, it is the resilience and ingenuity of women that enables families and communities to survive. It is hard to do justice to the daily struggle of rural women and the multitude of obstacles and discriminatory practices they face in accomplishing their daily workload," said Mr Annan.
Film stars George Clooney and Sophia Loren are providing the glitzy edge to this year's celebrations. Leading African musicians are performing in a Live Aid-type telecast tonight from Dakar, Senegal. The event, it is hoped, will raise more than £1 million for food projects.
In Ireland, Gorta is holding a seminar to mark World Food Day at the Red Cow Hotel, Naas Road, Dublin, starting at 10 a.m.
