President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye considers access to safe food a fundamental element of national security, warning that growing food waste and hunger undermine global peace, stability and prosperity.
“Türkiye views access to safe food not merely as a matter of supply but as a fundamental element of our national security, and we are taking steps in this direction,” Erdoğan said in a video message to the opening ceremony of the World Food Forum in Rome.
Held under the theme “Act Today, Feed Tomorrow,” the forum brings together stakeholders to address global food security challenges.
Erdoğan said millions of people struggle to find even dry bread while food waste continues to increase worldwide, making it impossible to speak of peace, stability and prosperity.
“We are striving to leave a livable world for future generations in critical areas such as climate change, environmental protection and food security,” he said, emphasizing the importance of valuing food as a precious resource.
Citing global reports, Erdoğan said 60% of food waste occurs in households at the consumer level, adding that around 1.5 billion tons of food is lost or wasted worldwide each year.
Emphasizing that Türkiye prioritizes combating food loss and waste alongside improving production efficiency, Erdoğan highlighted several national initiatives.
The “Save Your Food, Take Care of Your Table” initiative, launched in 2020, has made significant progress, he said, adding that Türkiye's Campaign to Prevent Bread Waste reduced bread waste by 18%.
He also highlighted the Zero Waste Movement, launched nine years ago under the leadership of first lady Emine Erdoğan, saying it contributes to raising global awareness about waste reduction.
Türkiye plans to build on its experience during the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), which will take place in Antalya from Nov. 9 to 20.
Erdoğan said Türkiye aims to translate its experience into practical action during the summit and bring food security and climate commitments together.
The president also recalled that Türkiye had announced its candidate for the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) director-general election.