World Food Day is an international day celebrated every year worldwide on October 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, to promote global awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger, and to highlight the need to ensure healthy diets for all. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Our actions are our future. Better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life,” which aims to raise awareness on how our daily food choices can have an impact on the way agro-food systems work.
The World Food Day is a chance to call for greater commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 2: Zero Hunger
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are a framework that aims to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people in the world. They address the global challenges humanity currently faces, such as climate change, food, and water security, poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, among others. Learn about all 17 Goals that can transform our world and how you can help to contribute to their achievement globally.
Currently, estimates are that nearly 690 million people are hungry, or 8.9 percent of the world population – up by 10 million people in one year and by nearly 60 million in five years. Ensuring that sustainable food production systems as well as enhanced international cooperation in rural infrastructure, agricultural research, and technology development are pivotal to help developing countries fight hunger. In contrast, developed countries must find solutions to tackle food waste, one of the main drivers of food inequality worldwide.
Within our WFD 2021 celebration events, you will have the chance to participate in activities, campaigns, webinars, and demonstrations organized by several KAUST departments, groups, partners, and startup companies. They will showcase how they actively contribute to a world without hunger by tackling food production, healthier diets, and food wastage. Additionally, you will find that several actions presented will be linked to several other SDGs:
Here are all the ways you can get involved with celebrating World Food Day here at KAUST.
Edama Organic Solution – Waste Segregation Campaign
Grow Plants, Not landfills
KAUST start-up Edama in collaboration with Facilities Management is opening the first-ever organic waste recycling facility on campus converting organic waste into high-quality compost for desert agriculture.
TODAY everyone can be a part of this initiative by simply separating their organic waste from the rest. We take your segregated organic waste and convert it into compost.
Sign up for our campaign at Edamasolutions.com/community, join the raffle, and get tips and tricks to grow your plants from seed to tree using Edama soil.
Join us and share your wishes on our tree exhibit in Discovery Square on the 27 & 28, October.
Red sea Farms – Delicious tomato giveaway, lab visit, and webinar
Visit the Red Sea farm booth at the Campus Diner with delicious tomato giveaways on Monday, October 25 from 11:00 am – 1:00 p.m.
Visit the Green House Core Lab on Tuesday, October 26, 4:00 p.m.
There will also be a demo and webinar from Red Sea Farms Co-Founder & Chief Scientist Dr. Mark Tester on Tuesday, October 26 at 1:00 p.m. Click here to join.
Natufia – Attend the webinar
Natufia is a fully automated and integrated indoor smart hydroponic kitchen garden, created for at-home food growing, offering families a holistic, forward-visioning solution to healthy living. The Natufia features the ability to grow healthy, nutrient-dense fresh herbs and greens in your home 24/7/365.
The Natufia mission is to bring a technological way to keep food reliable, healthy, and make it readily accessible anywhere and minimize the environmental impact, and bridging the gaps of food security and traceability awareness.
Attend the demo and webinar: “Grow a healthy lifestyle with Natufia smart kitchen garden ” presented by Pranay Kenkre, Mechanical Design Engineer, and Aigerim Zhumagali, Botanist on October 28, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
Join Zoom Meeting
- Meeting ID: 954 3650 2831
- Passcode: rT22y6
Center of Desert and Agriculture (CDA) – TKS Presentations, planting stations, and lab tours
CDA center director Dr. Rod Wing and CDA associate director Dr. Mark Tester will give a talk about “Plant Science & Sustainable Agriculture “on October 24 in the KAUST School (TKS) for grade 5 students. Planting stations including soil, seeds, and pots will be placed on the Garden Elementary School and it will be there for the whole week to raise awareness about how to grow healthy food.
Grade 5 students will visit the greenhouse and some labs on October 27 & 28. Information will be shared directly with impacted students and families.
Uvera
Uvera is a cleantech startup changing the culture around food preservation, sterilization, and analytics to reduce food waste and introduce a technology that is guaranteed to increase the shelf-life of fresh food up to 97% on average.
The mission of Uvera is to cut down food waste by 50% by the year 2030 and to elevate environmental awareness and sustainability.
Students for Sustainability – Game Changers Viewing
Attend the Movie Game Changers on October 27 at 7:00 p.m. at the Discovery Cinema.
Presented by James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, Novak Djokovic, and Chris Paul — a revolutionary new film about meat, protein, and strength. The aim of the movie is to spread awareness about the health benefits of a plant-based diet and the environmental footprint of meat production.
Description: James Wilks travels the world on a quest for the truth about meat, protein, and strength. Showcasing elite athletes, special ops soldiers, and visionary scientists to change the way people eat and live.
No registration is needed.
Community Life Food Safety and Quality – special menus
KAUST restaurants will be providing a special sustainable and local menu on October 16, review the menus below:
Home Grown market event – Community Life
Celebrate the Home Grown Market event with us in the Souq Area, Discovery Square and the Pop-up Souk on October 27 and October 28, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
The Home Grown Market will feature a grand bazaar with a variety of local vendors selling traditional arts and crafts, fresh plants & herbs, and more for purchase. Learn more.
Thanks for making #WorldFoodDay your day.
Brought to you by Community Life, Sustainability, and Students for Sustainability
Thank you for organizing these!
I would like to sign up the campaign at Edama, but I couldn’t find a way to do that with the link http://edamasolutions.com/community.
Is it only from PC perhaps?
Dear MK,
The registration form is open now, click here: https://www.edamasolutions.com/sign-up
Thank you!