Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture and Food Production Discussed on World Food Day

World Food Day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and since then has been celebrated annually on October 16. In observance of World Food Day,  OzU Cuisine made up of our Gastronomy and Culinary Arts students,  organized an event. During the event, Mr. Ahmet Atalık, President of Istanbul Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, gave a speech on “Food Sovereignty” to Özyeğin University students and faculty. Mr. Atalık opened his speech with the history of agriculture and seed cultivation in Turkey, followed by the birth and progress of the “Food Sovereignty” movement. During his speech, Mr. Atalık emphasized the monopolization of global seed production and distribution. He also highlighted the efforts of ÇİFTÇİ-SEN’, the representative of La Via Campesina, the creator of the “Food Sovereignty” movement, in Turkey.    
 
Assistant Prof. A. Aylin Alsaffar, Head of the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department at the School of Applied Sciences, also gave a speech during the event. Assistant Prof. Alsaffar stated that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the  United Nations announced the theme of World Food Day 2016 as “Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too”. Assistant Prof. Alsaffar emphasized the fact a sustainable solution is yet to be found for the problem of world hunger, and food security is one of the fundamental human rights. She added that there is enough food produced for everyone in the world, however there are problems caused by unequal distribution of food. Assistant Prof. Alsaffar also underscored the fact that these problems can be aggravated and reach more critical levels due to global economic crises, wrong agricultural and livestock farming policies, and climate change.