Safe Food, Secure Future

Globally, nearly 600 million people suffer from foodborne diseases, and more than 400,000 die each year from consuming unhygienic and unsafe food.

- By Dr. Shanker Suwan Singh

Clean and safe food is therefore crucial to promoting better health and ending hunger. The food we choose and the way we consume it affect not only our health but also the health of our planet, directly impacting the functioning of agri-food systems.

Food is a fundamental necessity for life. The theme of World Food Day 2025 is "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future." Food should be pure and nutritious. Adopting a healthy, balanced diet — rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while reducing salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats helps prevent noncommunicable diseases like heart disease and diabetes, supports proper bodily function, and contributes to overall well-being and longevity.

Food security is freedom from the fear of food shortages. It ensures that adequate and diverse food is available to all citizens throughout their life cycle, in ways that are culturally acceptable and obtained with dignity. The unit of food security can be a country, a state, or even a village. It is a fundamental right of every individual. As a well-known Hindi saying reminds us: “Bhookhe bhajan na hoye Gopala, pehle apni kanthi mala” — on an empty stomach, one cannot even worship God.

Adequate reserves of food grains should be systematically stored and distributed during times of need. Food security cannot be measured by food grains alone. A diverse diet including cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, cooking oil, milk, eggs, beans, jaggery, and tubers is essential for fulfilling daily nutritional requirements. Without diversity, stomachs may be full, but nutritional needs remain unmet.