FAO, other organizations and world leaders on Friday highlighted the importance of healthy food, to which 3 billion people in the world do not have access, on the pretext of World Food Day.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres joined the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) "call to action to achieve food security" during an event also attended by astronaut Thomas Pesquet from the International Space Station (ISS).

Pope Francis called for "overcoming market logic, eagerly focused on mere economic benefit and reducing food to just another commodity."

Combating food waste was one of the key points of the ceremony organized by FAO to honor this year's "food heroes" who stepped forward in the most critical moments of the covid-19 pandemic.

"Globally, about 4000 million tons of food is produced annually, enough to feed the entire world. However, 630 million is lost due to insufficient storage and one-third of food is wasted, costing $3000 million," said UN World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley.

Beasley recalled that 811 million people in the world suffer from chronic hunger and 42 million people in 43 countries are "literally on the brink of starvation."

To combat "this pandemic of hunger," Beasley reiterated WFP's request for "an additional $6.6 billion to help these people."

"It is unacceptable that 10% of the planet's population still goes to bed hungry," criticized the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Gilbert Houngbo, highlighting the role of small producers as providers of food supplies in the most difficult moments of the pandemic.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu highlighted the key role of youth in shifting to sustainable agri-food systems and ensuring food for all to meet the Zero Hunger Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the UN Agenda 2030.

"There are 1.8 billion people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world, and young people represent 90% of the population in developing countries. This potential is unlimited!" he stressed, although he called for the commitment of "everyone" to "harmonize our relationship with nature."

Qu Dongyu also advocated "better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life without leaving anyone behind."

Italy's President Sergio Mattarella, in a statement read at the event, gave as an example the Matera declaration, approved at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting under the Italian presidency, as a useful tool for the "coalition for food."

Lusa Agency