Rome: At World Nutrition Day 2026, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, emphasised that food security is not a problem of food production alone but a combination of food availability, food accessibility and food affordability, as well as the quality of food. He addressed the high-level event 'Delivering as One for Coherent Nutrition Action' during Rome Nutrition Week 2026 at FAO headquarters in Rome.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Director-General highlighted the importance of producing sufficient, diverse, and safe food. He noted that food availability extends beyond mere calorie count to include the quality of what is grown. Referring to the 'Four Levels of Food' framework, QU Dongyu outlined a pathway from basic staples that prevent hunger, to nutritious foods that provide essential vitamins and minerals, healthy diets that reduce disease risks, and functional foods with scientifically proven benefits beyond basic nutrition.
He affirmed FAO's commitment to working with countries to reshape agrifood systems. This involves diversifying production, reducing post-harvest losses, and protecting biodiversity to ensure food diversity. In terms of food accessibility, QU highlighted the need for targeted interventions for vulnerable populations, including rural communities, indigenous peoples, and women-headed households. Interventions such as school feeding programmes, local food procurement, and support for smallholder farmers to connect to markets were identified as necessary.
Regarding food affordability, the Director-General noted that healthy diets remain too expensive for billions of people, with the cost of a nutritious diet exceeding average incomes in many low-income countries. He emphasised that 2.6 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, urging the need for social protection, income support, and policies that lower the price of essential foods like fruits, vegetables, and proteins.
The 'Four Levels of Food' framework was presented as a crucial roadmap for enhancing food security. However, QU Dongyu stressed that successful implementation requires systemic coherence and collaboration across various agencies and ministries. FAO is working with partners to align agrifood policies with nutrition outcomes, strengthen food environment monitoring, and promote biofortification and functional food innovations.
On World Nutrition Day, the Director-General called for a move beyond fragmented efforts, urging a collective commitment to ensuring that basic, nutritious, healthy, and functional foods reach those who need them most. Later this year, FAO plans to release its first High-Level Report on the State of Healthy Diets to strengthen the global evidence base for nutrition policymaking and support countries in designing more effective responses to malnutrition.