Who benefits from our food system and who loses out? How can this possibly change?
Cartoons have a way of simplifying an issue, or a few issues, into a short message. They invite us to ‘read’, explore and reaction to them.
Marked on the 17th October annually, World Food Day reminds us that food issues are anything but neutral.
These cartoons have been selected as a set of introductory cartoons on big issues raised by food such as climate change and drought, food prices, consumption and the price of food.
A phrase like ‘food security’ is easy to say yet takes us time to understand and explore it in learning contexts. You could try this through group activities, individual research or as a prompt exercise for initial reactions to the messages and meanings they contain, or ask ‘what the cartoonist is trying to say?’.
The cartoons featured today were produced by cartoonists from France, Brazil, Cuba, Taiwan and Turkey.
Another selection of cartoons will be published in the World Food Day series tomorrow on the the topic of conflict – one of the key drivers of hunger in the world today.
World Food Day
By Shahrokh Heidari, France
Credit: ©Shahrokh Heidari/Cartoon Movement 2019
Food Waste
An estimated 19% of total global food production is wasted. This contributes to increasing hunger, undermining the sustainability of our food systems, and producing greenhouse gas emissions, which accelerate climate change.
By Custodio, Brazil
Credit: ©Custodio/Cartoon Movement, 2024
Food Prices
The rising cost of food is felt most by the poorest people.
By Alfredo Martirena, Cuba
Credit: ©Alfredo Martirena/Cartoon Movement, 2012
A Farmer's Future?
Droughts are getting worse everywhere in the world.
By Stellina Chen, Taiwan
Credit: © Stellina Chen/Cartoon Movement, 2023
Producer and winner
By Musa GUMUS, Turkey
Credit: ©Musa GUMUS/Cartoon Movement
More on developmenteducation.ie
This World Food Day series is brought to you by Concern Worldwide, Scoilnet, Self Help Africa and developmenteducation.ie
30 smeach chárta ar líne: Bia, cothú agus an domhan. An Irish-language vocab list on food security.
A recent teaching resource Sowing the Seeds of Peace by Afri on the topic of hunger as a consequence of war and conflict reviewed by Ciara Regan
How much do you know about how food is produced, consumed and wasted?
Explore 10 common myths about the agri-food industry, GMOs and consumer ‘pester power’ in a downloadable pocket-sized booklet.