On 16 October 1945, 42 countries acted in Quebec, Canada, to create the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

In doing so they took another important step forward in man's perpetual struggle against hunger and malnutrition.

For through the establishment of FAO they provided themselves, and the many other nations that were to enter the Organization, with a mechanism through which its Member Countries could deal with a set of problems that are of major concern to all countries and all people.

The objectives of 

World Food Day 

are to:

• encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate national, bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental efforts to this end

• encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries

• encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their living conditions

• heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world

• promote the transfer of technologies to the developing world

• strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food and agricultural development