FAO says cooperatives are key to feeding the world

The 32nd World Food Day was celebrated on 16th October 2012. This year theme ‘Agricultural cooperatives – key to feeding the world’ highlights the role of cooperatives in improving food security and contributing to the eradication of hunger.
 
José Graziano de Silva, FAO Director General, on the opening cerimony said: “Farmers are an important part of this effort. Small-scale farmers are the main providers of food in many countries around the world, but they are also among the world’s poorest people. Cooperatives can help smallholder farmers to overcome these constraints. As the theme of this year’s World Food Day proclaims: they are key to feeding the world.”
 
Guy Rider, ILO Director General joined the celebrations of the World Food Day. He said: “As business models that are responsive to members needs and to social objectives, cooperatives have a central role to play in new strategies for fair and sustainable development. Cooperatives have proved to be adaptable to a range of circumstances – from small-scale initiatives of indigenous farmers defending their food sovereignty and traditional knowledge to large scale multinational undertakings. “.