Pope: food waste harms many people and prevents the progress of peoples

In a message to the World Food Program, Francis writes that "In many places, our brothers and sisters do not have access to sufficient and healthy food, while in others, food is discarded and squandered".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Food waste damages the lives of many individuals and prevents the progress of peoples". This is the central affirmation of the message sent by Pope Francis to the World Food Program (WFP) on the occasion of the opening of the  second ordinary plenary session of the United Nations agency.

Addressed to WFP Executive Director David M. Beasley, the message expresses appreciation for the "Stop the Waste" campaign, underlining the fact that "food waste damages the lives of many individuals and prevents the progress of peoples".

"In many places - Francis writes -

In many places, our brothers and sisters do not have access to sufficient and healthy food, while in others, food is discarded and squandered. This is what my predecessor Saint John Paul II called the paradox of abundance, which continues to be an obstacle to resolving the problem of feeding humanity (cf. Address at the Opening of the International Conference on Nutrition, 5 December 1992). This paradox involves mechanisms of superficiality, negligence and selfishness that underlie the culture of waste. Unless we recognize this dynamic and seek to contain it, it will be difficult to honour the commitments of the Paris Agreement on climate change and realize the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda".

For a future that leaves no one behind, then, we need a present that rejects food waste.  "Together, without losing time, by pooling resources and ideas, we can introduce a lifestyle that gives food the importance it deserves. This new lifestyle consists in properly valuing what mother Earth gives us, and will have an impact on humanity as a whole".

The Pope writes that this is a goal from no one is exempt. It elicitis the responsibility not only of governments and international organizations, but also of families, schools and the media that must educate and raise awareness in this regard.  Everyone is called on to fight a culture "which oppresses so many people", especially the poor and vulnerable.

He concluded:"I would like this campaign to help assist all those who in our time suffer the effects of poverty, and to demonstrate that whenever the human person is put at the centre of political and economic decisions, peace and stability are consolidated between nations, even as mutual understanding, the foundation of authentic human progress, everywhere increases". "I assure you, in addition, that the Catholic Church is working to foster solidarity among all people and desires to cooperate with the World Food Programme by reaffirming that each human being has a right to healthy and sustainable nutrition."