World Food Conference
Encyclopedia
The first World Food Conference was held in Rome in 1974 by the United Nations
under the auspices of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), in the wake of the devastating famine in Bangladesh
in the preceding two years.
Perhaps the most famous statement made at the conference was by then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
who made the declaration that within 10 years no child would go to bed hungry. While this bold declaration was in no way fulfilled, it did galvanize public attention, stimulate debate and studies on the feasibility of such a goal.
Governments attending the World Food Conference proclaimed that "every man, woman and child has the inalienable right to be free from hunger and malnutrition in order to develop their physical and mental faculties." The Conference set as its goal the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition within a decade.
Among other outcomes, the conference put in place a World Food Council
(subsequently disbanded) and led to follow-up World Food Conferences.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
under the auspices of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
(FAO), in the wake of the devastating famine in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in the preceding two years.
Perhaps the most famous statement made at the conference was by then-U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
who made the declaration that within 10 years no child would go to bed hungry. While this bold declaration was in no way fulfilled, it did galvanize public attention, stimulate debate and studies on the feasibility of such a goal.
Governments attending the World Food Conference proclaimed that "every man, woman and child has the inalienable right to be free from hunger and malnutrition in order to develop their physical and mental faculties." The Conference set as its goal the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition within a decade.
Among other outcomes, the conference put in place a World Food Council
World Food Council
World Food Council was a United Nations organization established by the UN General Assembly in December 1974 by recommendation of the World Food Conference. Its headquarter was in Rome, Italy. WFC's goal was to serve as coordinating body for national ministries of agriculture to help reduce...
(subsequently disbanded) and led to follow-up World Food Conferences.