16 October 2014, Rome. For nearly seven decades, October 16th has signified international World Food Day. On this monumental day in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was incepted, with the mission to end world hunger, as an umbrella organization of the United Nation. It is commonplace knowledge that food is ubiquitous for the human condition. Yet, for a need so basic, equitable access to nourishing diets lags for millions of peoples. This disparity between malnutrition and nutrition transcends continents, countries, cultures, races, and genders. In particular, rural communities of developing countries are forced to cope with insufficient access to food security.

In the words of Jośe Graziano da Silva, FAO’s Director General, “We cannot look at nutrition as the responsibility of the individual alone: nutrition is a public issue. A public issue that must be addressed by governments, civil society, the private sector and academia.”

Let’s stand with Mr. da Silva and bring the issue of malnutrition to the public. It’s unacceptable that more than 800 million people worldwide don’t receive the nutrients that they deserve. Through reflecting upon the importance its daily presence brings to the promotion of active citizenship, the World Association of Community Broadcasters (AMARC) stands with FAO’s goal to reduce the amount of hungry peoples in half by 2015 and will continue to reflect and promote equitable access to public goods.