GEORGETOWN – President Dr. Irfaan Ali today delivered a stark warning on World Food Day 2025, cautioning that a persistent surge in global food price inflation is threatening to undermine nutritional health and pushing vulnerable families toward cheap, unhealthy alternatives. The President emphasized that this crisis is reinforcing deep inequalities in diet and access to quality food worldwide.
In his message commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), President Ali acknowledged the global body’s instrumental role in transforming agriculture and ensuring food security remains central to the international agenda. He stressed that this year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” is a powerful call for global collaboration among governments and sectors to build more resilient and equitable food systems.
The Price of Hunger and Nutritional Inequality
However, the Guyanese leader pointed to the sobering findings of the recently released 2025 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. The report highlights that rising global food prices have had a profound impact on food security, particularly in low-income countries where inflationary pressures have eroded household purchasing power.
President Ali detailed the devastating consequence of these financial pressures: “The crisis has also made healthy diets less affordable, reinforcing nutritional inequalities as nutrient-rich foods become costlier while ultra-processed alternatives remain cheap and accessible.” This trend suggests that while food may be technically available, the ability of families to afford nutritious food is rapidly declining.
The President’s message serves as a reminder of the nation’s shared responsibility to ensure that “every person, everywhere, enjoys access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food.” He concluded by honoring the FAO’s eight decades of leadership in working to end global hunger, urging renewed focus on the persistence of nutritional gaps.
