Tackling hunger in the UK and beyond
At Food Matters Live, we’re on a mission to make affordable, healthy and sustainable nutrition a reality for all. But currently, we are failing at the most fundamental level as a society. According to Action Against Hunger, 49 million people across the globe are at risk of falling into famine, whilst almost 1 in 10 people go to bed hungry every night.
Armed conflict remains the number one cause of hunger worldwide, disrupting supply chains and fuelling food insecurity. The unfolding climate emergency is also a big culprit, with rising temperatures and extreme weather events threatening food production.
The biggest tragedy is that we produce enough food to feed the world’s starving population twice over, it’s just that one-third of it goes to waste. Worse still, the food system reaps untold environmental damage in the process of producing wasted food, further threatening food security. It’s a vicious and unsustainable cycle.
Curated from the Food Matters Live podcast, the following episodes explore the extent of the problem and highlight those working to eliminate hunger in the UK and beyond.
The challenge of getting food aid to those most in need
Somalia is facing catastrophic hunger, with as many as 6.5 million of its population experiencing acute food insecurity between April and June 2023. Beset by extreme drought and civil unrest, experts warn that the country is now on the brink of famine.
In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we speak to three inspiring individuals from Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian organisation committed to ending world hunger. They have people on the ground all over the globe, including in Somalia where the humanitarian crisis is unfolding.
We are joined from Mogadishu by AAH’s Country Director in Somalia, Ahmed Khalif. He discusses his ongoing work in the region and explains the challenges facing humanitarian workers on the frontline.
We also speak to Alison McNulty, AAHUK’s Director of Operations and Alexandra Rutishauser-Perera, Head of Nutrition. They tell us about AAH’s work in the UK including their Love Food Give Food campaign, a project bringing together the hospitality industry and their customers to take action against hunger.
Spotlight: World Hunger Day
Around 2.4 billion people lack access to sufficient nutrition – almost a third of the global population. The causes are myriad but include conflict, inequity, climate change, gender discrimination and weak central government.
Founded by The Hunger Project, the annual World Hunger Day highlights the causes and costs of food insecurity worldwide. Besides raising awareness about the sobering reality of malnutrition globally, the day also encourages us to participate in finding solutions.
Recorded in honour of World Hunger Day 2023, this episode explores the scale of hunger worldwide and examines the work underway to tackle food poverty. Joining us for this crucial conversation is Rebecca Burgess, UK Country Director for The Hunger Project.
How an innovation accelerator aims to achieve a world without hunger
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency and the leading provider of school meals. Tapping into their global network, the WFP works tirelessly to get food where it is needed most, saving the lives of those displaced by war, civil conflict and natural disasters.
Achieving Zero Hunger and eradicating malnutrition by 2030 is the World Food Programme’s raison d’être. To this end, they have launched an innovation accelerator designed to incubate promising ideas and scale digital solutions that can help nourish the world’s hungriest people.
The Food Matters Live podcast welcomes Hila Cohen, Head of Business Development at the United Nations World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator. Find out how they apply a lean start-up approach to accelerate disruptive innovations and tackle hunger globally.
How FareShare help brands like Tesco redistribute surplus food to those in need
One-third of food produced globally never gets eaten, equating to one billion tonnes of waste each year. Considering the scores of people who go hungry around the world, it’s an absolute travesty.
FareShare are leading the fight against food waste in the UK, rescuing surplus food from retailers and distributing it to those in food poverty. The food they salvage is discarded for a variety of reasons, including packaging errors and short shelf life, but all of it is perfectly edible.
FareShare has worked with Tesco since 2012 to help alleviate poverty in the UK, ensuring surplus food within its supply chain is used to feed people, not bins. In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into FareShare’s work and explore their long-term collaboration with Tesco.
Joining our host is Helen Davies, Retail Partners Senior Manager at FareShare, Claire de Silva, Head of Community and Local Media at Tesco, Nicola Mackay, Community Food Programme Manager at Tesco and Dr Mansukh Morjoria, a Trustee at the Shree Jalaram Mandir community centre.
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