We hosted a fascinating, challenging and very moving talk by Greg Barrow from the UN World Food Programme yesterday, at Mint Lane Cafe, to celebrate World Food Day.
The Challenge of Hunger
Greg outlined what a uniquely challenging year it has been in the humanitarian world:
Climate change and global conflict are driving forces in the rising rates of hunger.
He highlighted the vast and widening gulf between WFP’s budget and the amount of funding raised from governments worldwide.
This shortfall is forcing WFP to prioritise life-and-death emergencies, at the expense of longer term strategy and transformative actions to empower people to feed themselves instead of descending into worsening hunger.
The funding gap will seriously impact some of the most hungry people in the world. Greg spoke passionately about the need to mobilise significantly more resources.
Questions from Lincolnshire
Thanks so much to everyone who came, for your pertinent and stimulating questions – you brought out some very interesting discussions.
Greg noted that some groups argue that providing insufficient funding would result in increased immigration.
But this line of argument is dangerous, toxic and not really true, he told us: people who are displaced overwhelmingly want to get back home as soon as possible, and nations should be supporting humanitarian work because, simply, it is the right thing to do.
Resonance with Lincolnshire
What stood out for me was the extent to which, even though we aren’t dealing with famine or war, there are such parallels and resonances with the work that we do as a the Lincolnshire Food Partnership.
For example, our quest to increase dignity and empowerment in the face of hunger and poverty; and the need for resilient, regenerative and locally appropriate models for food production and distribution.
It felt very appropriate on World Food Day to connect our local movement for good food for all with the wider global vision to end hunger.
PS – Huge thanks for the incredible cakes, Mint Lane Cafe!
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