Blog Action Day: Learn How Agricultural Cooperatives Can Combat Hunger on World Food Day
By: Rosemina Nazarali
Published: October 15, 2012

Blog Action Day has bloggers from all over the world writing about ways to make positive change. This year's theme, the 'Power of We,' is all about groups of people coming together for the greater good and how powerful an impact we can make by simply coming together for one cause. As a food website, there are many issues we at Foodista can bring attention to, but the one that seems the most fitting to me is world hunger. 
Tomorrow, October 16, 2012, is World Food Day. Marked by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the day will have people, organizations and events working together to combat the food shortage around the world. This year's theme is "Agricultural Cooperatives -- key to feeding the world." In short, this year's World Food Day hopes to raise awareness on the importance of cooperatives and their role in increasing food security. 
Almost one billion people around the world go to sleep hungry every night. Nearly two billion are malnourished. Supporting agricultural cooperatives will not only combat the food shortage, but will also provide jobs -- which is especially important for impoverished communities. 
"70 percent of those who face hunger live in rural areas where agriculture serves as the economic mainstay," reads the World Food Day USA website. "Smallholder farmers are central to addressing hunger, yet many face barriers such as a lack of infrastructure, outdated farming practices, and a lack of access to financial services." 
This year, FAO is asking the world to pay attention to these cooperatives and lend them a helping hand. While money, yes, is always an important factor, education is just as important. There are many ways to get involved this World Food Day, including hosting or participating in an event, join a walk to end hunger, organize a food drive in your community, or begin your own garden at home. You can even simply print out a few World Food Day infographics and hand them out to friends and family to make them more aware of food security issues around the world. 
The FAO has also partnered with several organizations that will take donations on World Food Day. Depending on the organization, the money will help support local cooperatives or will help purchase food for those who would otherwise go hungry. 
For more information about this year's World Food Day, watch the video below.