Activists demand action to tackle the global food crisis

FAO

Activists and chefs around the world participated Thursday (Jul. 25) in a new campaign to highlight the global food crisis.

Campaigners demonstrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where G20 leaders convened for a two-day meeting.

The members of different NGOs distributed empty plates, served down from a mock-up food truck.

The CEO of Sustainable Development Goal 2 Advocacy explained the symbolic move.

"We're talking about the empty plates, and we are using these to symbolize people around the world, 733 million people that are not having food, they are having an empty plate. And we need action and commitment to drive forward and make sure there's change, building on the commitments by Brazil, by the G20 to set up this alliance."

The protest came after Brazil committed to partially funding the global alliance against hunger and poverty.

The president of Citizen's Action Brazil welcomed the announcement highlighting the importance of raising the public's awareness.

"Yesterday a global alliance was launched at Citizen's Action (NGO headquarters), and this is another way for us to put pressure on people and mobilize them so that they become aware that it's no use solving hunger in one country, it has to be solved globally. And above all to show that it's possible because Brazil has already done it, and knows how to do it, so we're also an example in this sense."

Brazil said the global alliance will be managed from a secretariat located at the Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome and Brasilia until 2030.

It will be formally establishment during the November summit of the G20 world leaders.