World Food Day reserch

Photo credit: United Nations.org

October 16, was World Food Day. World Food Day is celebrated annually on 16 October to promote global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and to highlight the need to ensure healthy diets for all. In class, we did a research activity with my partner, Nodoka, about what specific actions were held among different regions. Today, I would like to introduce what Japan did on World Food Day. 

1. Identify some of the most serious problems related to food in these areas.

Food waste/declining food sufficiency rate / agricultural damage in Fukushima due to Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

2. What is the UN doing (if anything) to help the regions/ countries? What are these countries or areas doing for themselves?

The UNESCO committee initiated a two-year assessment of the levels and effects of exposure to radiation resulting from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. 

3. What are some of the specific activities related to World Food Day that are happening in these countries/ regions?

• Among NGOs & children:

Onigiri Action: A campaign started in 2015 by a specified non-profit organization that works to solve the world's food problems. If you post a photo of the rice ball on social media with #OnigiriAction, the sponsoring company will donate and deliver school lunches to children in Africa and Asia.

• Among companies:

Nisshin Flour Milling Inc.: the Japanese wheat production company supported the World Food Programme in its mission to eradicate poverty and hunger. Since they joined the NPO Japan Association for the World Food Programme In September 2005, they have continuously provided active support, including carrying out fundraising activities, as well as implementing World Food Day. 

• In Academia:

Food donations from Japan are currently supporting school children and benefit whole communities in Laos. The 402 metric tonnes of canned Japanese Saba and sardines (Iwashi), worth US$3.6 million, will be used to prepare healthy lunches for schools around Laos.

• By governments:

Japanese minister of Agriculture is providing food assistance based on requests from developing countries confronting food shortages. In 2019, Japan contributed a total of ¥4.05 billion as bilateral food aid in 13 countries and provided approximately 680,000 tons of (rice and wheat)

 

4. What do you think you might do for World Food Day?

Reduce food waste, try #OnigiriAction, eat domestic products, don't buy more than I eat, serve only as much as I can eat, buy pesticide-low/free products