Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition

The first World Food Conference was held in Rome in November 1974 by the United Nations under the auspices of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The Conference adopted the Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition, and proclaimed that every man, woman and child has the inalienable right to be free from hunger and malnutrition in order to develop their physical and mental faculties.

The Conference consequently envisaged:

1. Every person has the right to be free from hunger and malnutrition.
2. Increasing food production and its more equitable and efficient distribution, tackling chronic malnutrition and deficiency diseases.
3. Preparation and implementation of national plans and programmes for economic and social development, with emphasis on their humanitarian aspects.
4. Remove the obstacles to food production and provide proper incentives to agricultural producers.
5. Rational exploitation of marine and inland fisheries resources.
6. Prevent wastage of food in all its forms.
7. Highly industrialized countries should promote the advancement of food production technology and should make all efforts to promote the transfer, adaptation and dissemination of appropriate food production technology for the benefit of the developing countries.
8. Proper conservation of natural resources being utilized for food production.