Let us take action together to eradicate hunger, promote adequate nutrition, and strive towards just and sustainable food systems!
The Churches’ Week of Action on Food is an opportunity for Christians and others around the world to act together for food justice and food sovereignty. It is a special time to raise awareness about farming approaches that help individuals and communities develop resiliency and combat poverty. The Food for Life Campaign places a particular emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and the situation of smallholder producers and their access to, and control over, natural resources such as land, water and seeds.
All of us can examine our food choices and call for policy changes that will ensure the right to food for everyone.
During the week of action, we lift up the "Ten Commandments of Food" from the Food for Life Campaign:
I. Give thanks for the food you eat.
II. Eat food grown as close as possible to where you live.
III. Strive for all people to have knowledge about and access to affordable, nutritious food.
IV. Eat mindfully and in moderation.
V. Do not waste food.
VI. Be grateful to those who grow and prepare food for your table.
VII. Support fair wages for farmworkers, farmers and food workers.
VIII. Reduce the environmental damage of land, water and air from food production and the food system.
IX. Protect the biodiversity of seeds, soils, ecosystems and the cultures of food producers
X. Rejoice and share the sacred gift of food with all.
The global Food Week of Action 2017 includes World Food Day (16 October) as well as International Day of Rural Women (15 October), and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is 17 October.
The theme for World Food Day 2017 is "Change the Future of Migration: Invest in Food Security and Rural Development", and so "Food and Migration" is the focus of this year's Food Week of Action.
Action ideas
Organize a special church service to focus on the ten commandments of food or further reflection on creation and food.
Organize a “bring and share” meal at your church, with dishes prepared with produce from local gardens and farmers.
Celebrate local foods and knowledge: Organize a community fair that showcases local food producers and shares the stories of farmers and people involved in food justice.
Lobby policy makers and businesses to create a stable demand for local and seasonal produce through school meal programmes and hospitals.
Organize a study and discussion session for your church or community group focusing on the "Ten Commandments of Food" and the Advocacy Tools for Congregations.
Get your hands in the dirt: Plan a trip to your nearest farm to meet (and help!) the farmer and learn more about the challenges and joys of food production. Consider joining or starting a community garden.
Share your food story with a captioned photo, video or written post (e.g. on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook), using the hashtag #myfoodstory
Join other efforts around the world:
Join the Zero Hunger Challenge
Individuals and groups can join the Zero Hunger Challenge, an initiative of the United Nations’ secretary general to raise awareness and build a movement around eliminating hunger.
Double Up a Meal for a Hunger Free World
World Vision is inviting supporters and churches worldwide to share their vision of a hunger-free world by celebrating food and donating the cost of their favourite meal on World Food Day to help end hunger. Proceeds will launch HungerFree, a new initiative investing in young people in Kenya and South Sudan. Learn more and find church resources, stories and videos at http://www.hungerfree.org
Celebrate the Winners of the Food Sovereignty Prize
See foodsovereigntyprize.org for this year’s winners (announcement in October), and past winners. Like www.facebook.com/FoodSovereigntyPrize to get updates.
Resources
Poster of the "Ten Commandments of Food": English PDF (6mb) and Professional Print version PDF (10mb) French PDF Spanish PDF German PDF
Ten Commandments of Food: Advocacy Tools for Congregations: Each of the Ten Commandments is presented through the lens of the Bible in the current context. Discussion questions help raise current opportunities and challenges and ways in which congregations can help make a difference. PDF 1mb
Action guide - Churches' Week of Action on Food: Download, distribute and print this 2015 guide to promote the week of action and help plan your activities. You can customize this guide on page 7 with issues and actions specific to your region and campaign. To do this, you will need a pdf reader that will allow you to edit, such as Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Web version (pdf, 750 KB) or professional print version (pdf, 10 MB)
Worship and Bible Study
Seven prayer services for the Week of Action, 2017
Common Prayer services held at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva in 2016, focusing on the Food Week of Action (PDF) and the 5th Commandment of Food, "Do Not Waste Food" (PDF).
From Hope to Harvest: A worship service, with prayer and action resources developed by Canadian Foodgrains Bank intended to help your faith community focus on God’s provision of food for all, while at the same time remembering that not everyone enjoys access to the abundance the earth provides.
World Food Day Prayer (Presbyterian Hunger Program, pdf)
Study and Discussion
Seeds for Life: Scaling up Agro-Biodiversity (EAA, The Gaia Foundation, The African Biodiversity Network, October 2013): English, French, Spanish and Portuguese
Right to Food and Nutrition Watch – 2016 edition to be launched in advance of World Food Day: www.rtfn-watch.org
Nourishing the World Sustainably: Scaling up Agroecology (Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, October 2012, pdf)
Whose Alliance? The G8 and the Emergence of a Global Corporate Regime for Agriculture (EAA and CIDSE, May 2013, pdf): English, French, Spanish
International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development (EAA, pdf)
Talensi Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) Project, Ghana, Social Return on Investment Report (World Vision)
The Africa Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative (World Vision)
Zero Hunger Challenge Resource Pack (World Vision)
These and many other organizations have supported the Churches’ Food Week of Action in the past:
Agricultural Missions, Inc.
Alianza es Alianza para el Buen Vivir, la Paz y la Sustentabilidad
Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Christian Council of Nigeria
Church of the Brethren Office of Public Witness
Churchwork
Come to the Table, RAFI-USA
Commission on Justice, Peace and Creation of the National Council of Churches in India.
EcoC2S
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)
Food, Faith, and Religious Leadership Initiative, Wake Forest University School of Divinity
Grassroots International
Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
National Farm Worker Ministry
Oikotree: Justice at the Heart of Faith
Presbyterian Hunger Program, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Abundant Table/Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries
United Church of Christ (UCC), Justice and Witness Ministries
US Food Sovereignty Alliance (USFSA)
World Vision International