Every eighth inhabitant of the planet is hungry

Today, the United Nations celebrates World Food Day, October 16, at a time when the number of hungry people in the world exceeds 870 million.

That number would exceed one and a half billion if it included the lack of nutrients essential for the physical and psychological development of children, assessed the UN special rapporteur for the right to food, Olivier de Schuter.

If malnutrition was measured, not hunger, not a deficit of calories, but of basic nutritional elements for the development of children, such as iodine, iron, vitamins, the number would be significantly higher - at least 1,5 billion

When food prices rise, as was the case last summer due to drought and poor harvests in the US, the poorest eat even less.

"Not only do they have fewer meals, but they also have less variety," the UN official explained.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be the worst affected by hunger and has seen the number of hungry people rise while Asia, Latin America and Oceania have declined.

Investments in agriculture have decreased in the last 20 years in the world, from 20 percent of total investments in the 1980s to only 4 percent, which is allocated today.

At the headquarters of the UN Food Organization in Rome, a round table is being held today, in which representatives of about forty countries will participate, including about 20 ministers.