Amman, Oct. 25 (Petra) -- Her Royal Highness Princess Basma bint Talal, President of the National Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition (NAJMAH), said on Sunday that World Food Day offers great hope but also carries a responsibility to rethink how food is produced, transported, and shared.
Speaking at a World Food Day 2026 event held under her patronage and organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the theme "Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow," the Princess noted that innovation must drive improvements in people's lives, from access to opportunities and healthier diets to more stable livelihoods. She stressed the importance of investing in people as much as in technology and protecting the natural resources on which food systems depend.
Princess Basma said millions worldwide suffer from hunger despite sufficient food being produced to feed everyone, underscoring the need to ensure it reaches those most in need. Hunger is not inevitable, she said, but is shaped by the choices people make and how they safeguard the resources entrusted to them.
Princess Basma noted that innovation extends beyond laboratories and technology to combine science, new ideas, and the knowledge and experience passed down through generations in rural communities. Drought-resistant seeds, she said, will make no difference unless women farmers can access and afford them.
She also mentioned the growing pressure on global and regional food supplies from wars, conflicts and climate change, which directly affect families and communities already struggling to meet their basic needs.
Speaking on behalf of Agriculture Minister Saeb Khreisat, Ministry Secretary-General Mohammad Hayari voiced Jordan's commitment to accelerating efforts to modernize its agricultural sector and building more resilient agricultural and food systems through innovation, technology, and strategic partnerships.
He outlined continuous national efforts to boost food security, improve resource efficiency, and help farmers adapt to climate challenges and market fluctuations.
Hayari said Jordan had taken several institutional steps to advance food security, including establishing the Higher Council for Food Security, chaired by the prime minister, adopting a national action plan for 2025–2027, updating the national strategy in line with the Economic Modernization Vision (EMV), launching a national food security information management system covering 22 indicators, and conducting a national survey to identify gaps and the groups most in need.
He added that the 2026 Global Hunger Index ranked Jordan 48th out of 122 countries, up from 54th in 2025. The World Food Day theme is particularly relevant to Jordan, he said, noting that innovation encompasses scientific research, agricultural extension services, value chain development and farmer empowerment.
Hayari also pointed to the sector's economic performance, saying agriculture recorded the highest growth rate among economic activities in the first and second quarters of 2026, with growth reaching 7.8 percent in the second quarter.
Agricultural exports rose 14 percent in the first half of the year, while self-sufficiency exceeded 61 percent, with production surpluses in 28 agricultural commodities.
He said the ministry launched Jordan's first national food waste index in December 2025, establishing a baseline of approximately 81 kilograms of food wasted per person to promote more responsible consumption.
He also commended FAO, the World Food Program, farmers and workers throughout the food supply chain for their contributions.
FAO Representative in Jordan Thair Yassin said approximately 645 million people worldwide, or 7.8 percent of the global population, faced overlapping food-related challenges in 2025.
Meanwhile, 2.7 billion people could not afford a healthy diet, and 2.1 billion experienced food insecurity.
Despite its limited water resources, Jordan offers an example of resilience, Yassin said, noting that the prevalence of undernourishment fell from 17.9 percent in 2023 to 12.2 percent in 2025. Adult obesity rates also declined from 38.5 percent to 35.4 percent.
He said FAO's programs in Jordan align with the EMV, noting the Kingdom's participation as a leading country among 191 nations in the World Food Day celebrations in Rome on Oct. 16.
Jordan also presented agricultural investment opportunities at the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, held from Oct. 13 to 16, and participated in the From Seeds to Foods exhibition in Rome from Oct. 8 to 12.
With more than 733 million people worldwide continuing to suffer from hunger, Yassin said, innovation is "no longer optional but essential." It extends beyond technology to include new partnerships, traditional knowledge, community-based solutions, and smarter ways to produce, process and consume food.
Investing in innovation today can help build more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agricultural and food systems, he said, supporting better production, nutrition, environmental protection and quality of life while ensuring "no one is left behind." The event featured a World Food Day Innovation Exhibition showcasing solutions from across Jordan aimed at making agricultural and food systems more sustainable and resilient.
Researchers, farmers, cooperatives, youth initiatives, women's associations and private-sector innovators presented practical examples of how creativity and technology can address major challenges facing agriculture and food systems.
The program also included a World Food Day drawing competition organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development.
The competition invited school students from across the Kingdom to express their views on food security, sustainable agriculture and healthy eating through art.
Six winners were announced and honored for their creativity and contributions to raising awareness of a more sustainable food future.
The event was organized in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and national partners to highlight innovation’s role in building sustainable agricultural and food systems. It was attended by government representatives, development partners, academic institutions, innovators, farmers, entrepreneurs, young people, women’s associations and the private sector.
//Petra// HA
