16 October, 2025
By José Ángel Carrillo, agronomist engineer at Incatema, specialist in New Technologies and Agroindustrial Digital Transformation.
16 October is World Food Day, a commemoration proclaimed by FAO in 1979 to raise global awareness of the problems of hunger, undernutrition and malnutrition, and to promote food security and the development of sustainable food systems, with the ultimate goal of eradicating hunger on the planet.
In a world where the population continues to grow, the question of how we will feed billions of people without depleting our planet’s vital resources looms with palpable urgency. Every day, the paradox of abundance and scarcity becomes more evident: while in some places tons of food is wasted, in others, millions of people suffer from hunger and malnutrition. This monumental challenge compels us to look to food security and sustainable food systems as the essential pillars for our future.
World Food Day 2025 invites us to reflect on this crossroads under the inspiring slogan “Hand in hand for better food and a better future”. This message is a call to action and, at the same time, a recognition that the solution to one of humanity’s greatest challenges lies in collaboration. Companies like Incatema, which for more than 30 years has been working hand in hand with public and private organisations to contribute to food security and the development of sustainable food systems, are testimony to the need to join the efforts of every sector and every individual to build a peaceful, prosperous and food secure future.
The crossroads of food security and sustainability
Food security implies that all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to safe, nutritious and culturally appropriate food for an active and healthy life. However, this fundamental right is under increasing threat due to the unsustainable pressure we exert on the Earth’s natural resources.
Our current food systems are large consumers of resources and generators of environmental impact. Water, a finite resource, is used intensively in agriculture, leading to water scarcity in many regions. Arable land is being degraded at an alarming rate through erosion, deforestation and overuse of chemicals, resulting in the loss of biodiversity and soil fertility. Energy, mostly from fossil fuels, drives food production, processing, transportation and distribution, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
This interconnection is undeniable: there can be no lasting food security if we compromise the health of the planet. Depleting our resources today means mortgaging the ability of future generations to feed themselves, perpetuating a cycle of vulnerability and crisis. Climate change, with its extreme events such as droughts and floods, is already exacerbating food insecurity and demonstrates the fragility of a system that does not prioritise sustainability.
Sustainable Food Systems: The Collective Solution
Against this backdrop, the construction of sustainable food systems emerges as the unavoidable route. A food system is truly sustainable when it ensures food security and nutrition for all without compromising the economic, social and environmental foundations that will sustain future generations.
This concept encompasses multiple pillars:
• Responsible production: involves transitioning to practices such as regenerative agriculture, agroecology and permaculture, which restore soil health, optimise water use, reduce dependence on synthetic chemical inputs and promote agricultural biodiversity.
• Efficient and resilient supply chains: it is crucial to minimise food losses and waste along the entire chain, from harvest to the consumer’s table. This is achieved by improving infrastructure, promoting local markets and short supply chains that reduce the carbon footprint and strengthen local economies.
• Healthy and sustainable diets: encouraging the consumption of seasonal, locally sourced foods with a higher proportion of vegetables not only benefits our health, but also reduces the pressure on resources.
• Inclusive governance and policies: Policy frameworks are needed that ensure equitable access to land, credit and technology for smallholder farmers, protect the rights of agricultural workers and incentivise sustainable practices at all levels.
“Hand in hand”: the strength of international collaboration
The World Food Day 2025 theme, “Hand in Hand,” underscores a fundamental truth: the complexity of the global food challenge cannot be solved by a single entity or nation. It requires concerted action and unprecedented collaboration among all the stakeholders:
• Governments must lead with coherent policies, invest in research and development of sustainable technologies, create regulatory frameworks that promote equity and sustainability, and foster transboundary cooperation, for example, in shared water resource management and fair trade.
• International Organisations such as the FAO and the UN agencies play a vital role in standardisation, monitoring, technical assistance and articulation of global efforts, ensuring that best practices are shared and adapted to diverse realities.
• The private sector has the opportunity and responsibility to innovate in sustainable technologies, adopt responsible practices in its supply chains and make significant investments in the transformation to sustainability. Corporate social responsibility is not an option, it is an imperative.
• Civil society and communities are the engine of change from the grassroots. Conscious consumers, local sustainable agriculture initiatives or general population movements can drive significant transformations in consumption and production habits, in addition to raising public awareness.
• Faculties and research are essential to generate the necessary knowledge, develop new technologies and find innovative solutions to current and future challenges.
Working together, “hand in hand”, will not only enable us to achieve food security and environmental sustainability, but will also contribute to reducing poverty, improving public health and building a more just and peaceful world.