The Right to Food as a Fundamental Human Right: FAO’s Experience

Abstract

Worldwide, FAO estimates that 852 million people were undernourished in 2000–02: 815 million in developing countries, 28 million in the countries in transition and 9 million in the industrialized countries. In the wording of the FAO’s Constitution, the Organization’s purpose is to ensure humanity’s freedom from hunger. The Organization views the right to food as central to its mandate. This chapter focuses attention initially on the right to food as a fundamentalhumanright: historicalbackgroundandlegal foundation. Thereafter, the meaning and content of ‘the right to adequate food’ is examined. While the right to food is widely recognized at the international level, its implementation still remains weak. Primarily responsible in this regard are those states that are parties to the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This chapter will look at states’ obligations under international law and, by contrast, at the responsibilities of international organizations.