The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marks World Food Day on Oct. 16 under the theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow,” calling for innovation and cooperation to build more sustainable food systems and improve access to nutritious food.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, that goal is reflected in US$2.292 billion in proposed agrifood investments presented at an FAO forum this week. Colombia accounts for approximately US$75.3 million of those proposals, with projects to improve agricultural processing and logistics in Boyaca and promote sustainable livestock production in Cordoba.
World Food Day commemorates FAO’s founding in 1945 and highlights hunger, nutrition and the future of food production. This year, the organization is using the occasion to highlight how investment, scientific advances and traditional knowledge can help turn those priorities into practical action.
What does FAO want to achieve on World Food Day?
FAO’s 2026 theme links innovation to the broader challenge of ensuring access to sufficient, diverse, safe and nutritious food. Innovation can involve scientific research and digital technology, but it can also draw on traditional knowledge and locally developed practices that help communities manage resources and adapt food production to their circumstances.
The organization’s work goes beyond increasing agricultural output. Food security also depends on whether farmers can reach markets, whether supply chains preserve food quality, whether households can afford nutritious diets and whether production protects the resources needed by future generations.
World Food Day provides a platform for governments, agricultural organizations, businesses, researchers and communities to discuss these challenges and promote practical responses. FAO’s global celebration at its headquarters in Rome is part of the World Food Forum, whose 2026 program combines youth participation, science, innovation and investment.
One of the forum’s main events, the Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum, seeks to turn national agricultural priorities into proposals that attract funding. This focus highlights a persistent challenge in food systems: promising projects often struggle to attract investment. Without solid infrastructure, detailed planning and clear investor safeguards, even good projects can remain unfunded.
How is Latin America responding to the call for innovation?
Nine Latin American and Caribbean countries presented agrifood investment opportunities at the 2026 Hand-in-Hand forum, alongside two subregional initiatives. The proposals total US$2.292 billion and cover agricultural value chains, livestock, storage, logistics, water management, digital connectivity and access to markets.
The portfolio includes projects involving coffee, cocoa, honey, livestock, Amazonian fruits and other products. The regional initiatives focus on the Amazonian bioeconomy and the Dry Corridor and Arid Zones of Central America, where investment proposals address traceability, water management, climate risks and rural market access.
The approach goes beyond financing individual farms. Improving food systems can require infrastructure that links producers with processors and buyers, technology that makes supply chains more transparent, and services that help farmers manage production risks. Without those connections, higher output does not necessarily translate into better incomes or a more reliable food supply.
FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative helps governments identify potential investment opportunities through geographic, environmental and socioeconomic analysis. The forum then gives countries a platform to present their plans to development banks, private investors and other potential financing partners.
The amounts presented are proposed investments, not funds already secured. Their contribution to food security will depend on which projects obtain financing and whether they deliver their expected results.
What is Colombia proposing?
Colombia’s portfolio totals approximately US$75.3 million and includes two projects intended to strengthen agricultural value chains and rural livelihoods.
In Boyaca, the proposal would establish an agro-industrial and logistics hub serving small-scale producers. The project would focus on value chains including potatoes, fruit, vegetables, legumes and dairy, with infrastructure for storage, processing and commercialization. Improved handling and logistics could help farmers reduce post-harvest losses, maintain product quality and connect with buyers.
The second proposal would promote sustainable livestock production in Cordoba. Together, the two projects could directly benefit an estimated 22,000 producers and families, according to FAO.
These expected benefits remain contingent on financing and implementation. To succeed, the projects must establish arrangements that allow producers to use the infrastructure, reach viable markets and share in the supply chain’s value. Their contribution to food security will also depend on how effectively they improve production and distribution without undermining environmental sustainability.
The proposals offer a Colombian example of the broader agenda behind World Food Day: innovation is most useful when it addresses specific obstacles in the food system and improves the conditions under which food is produced, processed and distributed.
How does Colombia support local food producers?
Colombia’s investment proposals form part of a broader policy landscape that includes efforts to connect small-scale farmers with institutional buyers. Law 2046 of 2020 requires covered public food procurement to allocate at least 30% of relevant purchases to eligible local small-scale agricultural producers and organizations representing family, community, ethnic and peasant farming.
The policy uses public purchasing to create market opportunities for local producers while helping institutions obtain food for their programs. It addresses a different part of the food system from the proposed projects in Boyaca and Cordoba, but both approaches recognize that agricultural production requires effective links to markets.
For local procurement to work consistently, producers must meet buyers’ requirements, supply food reliably and receive payment under workable commercial arrangements. Public institutions also need to monitor purchasing practices and ensure that local sourcing rules translate into real opportunities for eligible farmers.
The investment proposals and procurement policy should therefore be assessed on their own terms. The former still require financing and implementation; the latter depends on sustained participation by producers and buyers. Neither, on its own, establishes that food security has improved.
World Food Day’s message is ultimately about turning ideas into changes people can experience. In Colombia, the next steps will be whether the proposed projects attract financing and whether existing local purchasing policies continue to connect farmers with dependable markets. Those results will show how far the commitments highlighted during this year’s celebration translate into a stronger food system.