European Economic
and Social Committee
CURRENT AFFAIRS: World Food Forum
Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life
The World Food Forum will be taking place in Rome this autumn. It is a flagship event that is organised under the umbrella of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and brings together food system stakeholders from around the world.
This year’s forum is of particular significance, as it marks the 80th anniversary of the FAO, commemorated in a week of global dialogue, knowledge exchange and solution-driven collaboration. The theme – “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future” – is guided by the FAO’s four “betters”: better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life. These principles provide a framework for the way that different stakeholders can jointly contribute to shaping a more sustainable and fair food system – a goal that is shared globally.
Our food system is currently facing numerous major challenges, which farmers, policymakers, consumers and other players in the food supply chain have to deal with every day. Climate change, geopolitical instability, input price volatility and socio-economic pressures are putting the entire system to the test. In the EU, the European Commission's proposal for the 2028-2034 EU budget has recently caused concern, but there are hopes for the final budget to be improved in the course of the negotiation process. At the same time, consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the quality, origin and environmental impact of the food they buy. It is clear that the food system is undergoing a transformation before our very eyes.
In this changing landscape, the focus must be on solutions that provide food producers with all the opportunities and conditions they need for the production of healthy, nutrient-rich and affordable food. This is essential to ensure the continuity of rural entrepreneurship and the vitality of rural life, as well as motivation and stable working conditions for those who produce our food.
Undoubtedly, finding solutions depends on cooperation at many levels. Equally important is innovation: new technologies, science-based approaches and data-driven decision-making help make production more efficient and environmentally friendly. It is crucial to invest in generational renewal, giving young people confidence in the fact that agriculture is not a sector of the past, but a field of the future, with space for entrepreneurship, development and a strong sense of purpose.
The main theme of the upcoming World Food Forum – better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life – aptly summarises these goals.
Kerli ATS (Estonia)
Member, Civil Society Organisations’ Group
Chairwoman of the Board, Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce (EPKK)
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