November 2, 2015

On November 2, The Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the UN gave an intervention during the deliberations of the Second Committee of the 70th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on Agenda Item 26, dedicated to the “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition.”

In its statement, the Holy See said it was encouraged that since 1990 over 215 million persons have been lifted out of hunger and that 55 percent of the 129 developing countries cut undernourishment in half over the last 15 years. At the same time, it noted that 800 million people continue to suffer chronic hunger. It called attention to Pope Francis’ words about the “paradox of plenty,” that in a world in which there is food for everyone and so much food is wasted, so many go without. This is not just an economic and organizational problem, it said, but an ethical and anthropological one. The Holy See said that the family, and particularly family farms, are important components of a solution to free the world from poverty and hunger.

The statement can be read here.