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October 16 is World Food Day. It is also the day when the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was established.

The 20th Session of the Conference of the FAO held in November 1979 designated October 16 as World Food Day and decided to commemorate the day every year.

The designation of World Food Day by the FAO is aimed at giving a correct understanding of the importance of food problem to all countries and peoples of the world and, at the same time, encouraging international discussion on the solution to the worldwide food problem, including the elimination of poverty and hunger by boosting food production.

Forty-five years have passed since World Food Day was instituted, but the food crisis worsens with the passage of time.

Now about 28.9 percent of the world population are suffering from food shortage. According to the recent survey results released by the UN, the number of people in the grip of famine is increasing every year worldwide and it reached hundreds of millions last year.

There are several factors that cause the global food crisis, but it is largely attributable to the fact that ever-worsening natural disasters have a serious negative impact on the agricultural sector.

This year alone, natural disasters caused by El Nino hit hard the agricultural sector.

According to information available, the damages generated by disasters on agricultural production from 1992 to 2021 amount to about US$3.8 trillion. This means that 5 percent of the world gross annual agricultural output value, or about 300 million tons of agricultural produce, was lost annually. Of them the average annual loss of cereals is at least 69 million tons, that of fruits, vegetables and sugar crops 40 million tons respectively and that of meat, dairy products and eggs about 16 million tons.

Many countries strive to take strong and appropriate measures to increase agricultural productivity in order to cope with extreme weather conditions.

The DPRK has made notable achievements in agricultural production by pushing forward with the policy of rural development.

In particular, it steps up the introduction of a scientific and technological farming system and methods to provide for disastrous abnormal climate and the work to prevent damage from it. It holds fast to the securing of good strains of seed, establishment of scientific cultivation techniques, completion of the irrigation system and supply of sufficient farming materials as the main link of the whole chain for producing high and stable yields while overcoming the effects of extreme weather conditions.

The theme for this year’s World Food Day is “The right to foods for a better life and a better future”.