“Right to foods for a better life and a better future”: Kyrgyzstan celebrates World Food Day with several events.  

To celebrate World Food Day in the Kyrgyz Republic, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), together with the Kyrgyz National Agrarian University named after K. I. Skryabin, organized an exhibition on innovations in agriculture and held a quiz for the university's students on the topic of food security.

Farmers around the world produce enough food to feed more than the global population, yet, hunger persists. Around 733 million people are facing hunger in the world due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns, inequality, and the pandemic. Additionally, over 2.8 billion people in the world are unable to afford a healthy diet. Unhealthy diets are the leading cause of all forms of malnutrition – undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity, which now exist in most countries, cutting across socio-economic classes.

"Unless everyone has access to the right to adequate food, we will not be able to realise other rights and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Oleg Guchgeldiyev, FAO Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic. ‘It is possible to change the situation by transforming agri-food systems. Innovation and modern technology offer great opportunities to mitigate climate change and support inclusive and resilient livelihoods for all."

FAO provides technical assistance to the Kyrgyz Republic on policy and legislation, strengthening regulatory and monitoring mechanisms, capacity development, and multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at transforming agri-food systems to improve production, nutrition, the environment, and quality of life.

“Food insecurity and malnutrition are exacerbated by protracted crises that are driven by a combination of extreme weather events and economic shocks,” Kojiro Nakai, Representative and Country Director of the UN WFP in the Kyrgyz Republic. “WFP, together with the Government and partners, has been strengthening the capacities of food insecure people and of national social protection systems through developing human capitals, creating community assets, and managing disaster risks.”

The UN WFP and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic continue their efforts to support smallholder farmers and vulnerable individuals in strengthening food systems, adapting to climate change, and ensuring equal access to nutritious food. Through targeted assistance, WFP aims to provide vulnerable communities with food, develop livelihood skills, and to create jobs for income-generation. 

Several awareness-raising events in the Kyrgyz Republic, on the occasion of World Food Day, are promoting dialogue and discussion on issues such as combating inequality, the prevalence of healthy food, reducing food waste, and protecting the environment.

The exhibition, which opened on 16 October in the main building of the Kyrgyz National Agrarian University, showcased modern agricultural technologies and innovative solutions for agriculture, including scientific developments from the university.

Rysbek Nurgaziev, Rector of the University, noted that one of the key elements of agricultural development is the use of innovations. "We should promote the integration of scientific research and innovative solutions into the practical activities of farmers and agricultural enterprises," he emphasised. "This may include the introduction of modern agricultural methods, the development of new plant varieties, the improvement of animal genetics, and the advancement of digital technologies for agriculture."

In addition, a quiz was organized for the students of the Agrarian University, with 5 teams representing all faculties of the university taking part. The participants had to answer questions on topics such as food safety, healthy nutrition, and other related subjects.

World Food Day is celebrated annually on October 16 and coincides with the founding day of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which was established in 1945. This year, the theme is "Right to foods for a better life and a better future” to once again reiterating that food must be diverse, nutritious, accessible, and safe. There should be more diverse and nutritious food in our fields, markets, and on our tables - for the benefit of all.

For more information, please contact:

Evgeniy Pechurin, FAO Kyrgyz Republic, Mobile: +996550838089, e-mail: evgeniy.pechurin@fao.org

Almaz Tchoroev, WFP Kyrgyz Republic, Mobile: +996550577597, e-mail: almaz.tchoroev@wfp.org