Every year on 16 October, the world comes together to mark World Food Day, a moment to reflect on the state of agrifood systems and renew our collective commitment to a more food-secure, sustainable, and equitable world. Led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), this global event is celebrated in more than 150 countries, bringing together governments, farmers, researchers, businesses, and citizens, united by one goal: better food for a better future.
This Year’s Theme: Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future
In 2025, World Food Day invites us all to join Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future. It’s a powerful reminder that transforming our agrifood systems isn’t the job of a few — it’s a shared responsibility we all carry.
Across the world, conflict, climate change, and economic uncertainty are reshaping the way we grow and share food. More than 673 million people still face hunger, while elsewhere, food waste and overconsumption persist, showing just how uneven and fragile our global food landscape has become.
Yet even in the face of these challenges, there is room for hope. The way we produce, process, and value food can become a force for change — reducing emissions, restoring ecosystems, and ensuring that everyone has access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food.
Making this vision a reality calls for working hand in hand — across borders, sectors, and generations. Governments, farmers, businesses, researchers, and citizens all have a role to play. Together, we can build food systems that truly work for people and the planet.
INCiTiS-FOOD Contribution to this Shared Vision
The INCiTiS-FOOD project stands in solidarity with this year’s World Food Day call for collaboration and transformation. Our mission is to enhance African city-region food systems by strengthening food and nutrition security (FNS) through innovative, circular, and sustainable technologies.
Across eight Living Labs in Africa, INCiTiS-FOOD partners are developing and testing practical solutions that demonstrate how innovation can go hand in hand with sustainability. These include:
- Soilless crop farming, which allows plants to thrive using minimal water and no soil, is ideal for urban and resource-scarce environments.
- Recirculating aquaculture systems, which enable fish to be farmed sustainably while reusing water and nutrients.
- Insect farming, which turns organic waste into valuable protein sources for both animal feed and human consumption.
These technologies embody the principles of circularity, where resources are continuously recycled, and nothing goes to waste. By integrating them, INCiTiS-FOOD helps urban and peri-urban areas to produce food locally, reduce pressure on natural ecosystems, and create economic opportunities, especially for women and youth.
Through this collaborative approach, we not only cultivate food — we cultivate resilience, knowledge, and community.
Together, We Can be the Change
World Food Day is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action. Each of us, whether as researchers, farmers, or consumers, has the power to contribute to a fairer, greener, and more secure food future. The choices we make every day, what we eat, how we grow food, and how we manage resources, shape the world we live in.
At INCiTiS-FOOD, we believe that when we work hand in hand, across borders, sectors, and generations, we can transform our food systems for the better.
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