On the occasion of World Food Day, dedicated to the theme of water, Pope Francis sends a message to the director of the FAO, recalling how “this resource is threatened by serious challenges in terms of quantity and quality”. I am 2.4 billion people living in countries with water stress; over 750 million suffer from hunger. Africa is the most affected continent
«Water is life, water nourishes us». It is the slogan of World Food Day which is celebrated today 16 October and for which Pope Francis sent a message to the director general Qu Dongyu: «World Food Day is celebrated at a time when poverty and discouragement do not give respite to many of our brothers. In fact, the cry of anguish and desperation of the poor should awaken us from the lethargy that grips us and test our consciences.” Once again the Pontiff puts his finger on the wound. World hunger, in fact, is only getting worse: according to the latest data from the FAO, it would be around 750 million people in the world who do not have guaranteed food security. Africa is the most affected continent, with one in five people suffering from hunger, more than double the global average. And they are well 2.4 billion those living in countries with water stress.
A situation which, according to Pope Francis, is also «the result of an unfair accumulation of injustices and inequalities […] This applies not only to food, but also to all basic resources”, starting, precisely, with water: “Water is life because it guarantees survival. However, this resource is currently threatened by serious challenges in terms of quantity and quality. In many places on the planet, our brothers suffer from diseases or die precisely because of the absence or scarcity of water.”
However, it is not enough to invest more in infrastructure, sewerage networks and sanitation systems. We need to «unite our will and gather our strength so that there is water everyone’s heritage, is distributed better and managed in a sustainable and rational way.” It is an appeal that the Pope addresses to international organisations, governments, civil society, businesses, academic and research institutions: «Our world is interdependent – he recalls – and cannot afford the luxury of dividing itself into blocks of countries that promote their interests in a spurious and biased way.” Instead, it is necessary to “think and act in terms of community, of solidarity, trying to give priority to the lives of all and to prevent the appropriation of goods by some […]. Today, unfortunately, we are witnessing a scandalous polarization of international relations due to the crisis and existing clashes.”
The invitation, therefore, is to fight not only against the throwaway culture, but also against every form of violence: «Never before has it been so urgent to convert ourselves into promoters of dialogue and architects of peace».
PIME ON THE FRONTLINE
Throughout 2023, the PIME Center of Milan has continued the campaign “Not just bread”, centered on the theme of food security, with a specific focus on PIME missions in Cameroon, Chad and Ivory Coast. This initiative, which will end in the next few weeks, represented a concrete sign of solidarity and hope on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of PIME’s presence in Ivory Coast. Sustainable development projects and concrete interventions to promote food security have been implemented in PIME missions. But initiatives to raise awareness of children, young people and adults in Italy on the issues have also been carried out through cultural activities, global education and missionary animation.
In total they have been helped so far 52,900 people in a situation of food insecurity; were made 14 wells, 11 hydro-sanitary projects and many training activities in the agricultural field in 3 thousand villages, for a total of 210,560 euros sent on mission.
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