ACTIVITY Our actions are

BOOK our future

Better production, better nutrition,

a better environment and a better life.
Required citation:
FAO. 2021. Activity Book – Our actions are our future. Better production, better
nutrition, a better environment and a better life. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/
cb5047en

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ISBN 978-92-5-134538-2
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It’s YOUR day! Every year on 16
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Today’s lesson won’t be like any other.
It will be a journey across the complex system
of food and agriculture.

Are you ready to go?

Ready to travel?
Where will we start?
Let’s begin with the simple and ancient gesture of planting
small seeds in the ground. Did you know that agriculture
has existed for 10,000 years? The act of caring for a seed
gave rise to a great revolution. Since then, men and women
have slowly started changing the world in which they live.

We should never forget that, in the world, each and every

part has the power to change the way the system works.
Some parts move slowly, and others fast, triggering other
movements and bringing about new transformations.
Plants, birds, and even rocks participate in their own
way in this constant movement on Earth. Just like living
organisms, every single detail in the world counts and
every action has one or more effects.

In short, we are all Setting up a vegetable garden in the classroom or on the school grounds is a fun and
connected. educational activity that’s suitable for all ages. Do you have one? You can start by
studying the spaces available to you. Is there enough light and at what times of day?
Think together about the vegetables you would like to grow and check if it’s possible.
You could even ask professionals, specialised volunteers or your family for help.
Whether it’s in a pot or in open land, there’s always room to plant a few seeds.
(For more information visit www.fao.org/school-food)]
3
 WFD2021
Poster Contest

The world
is a system,
If you’re between the ages 5 to 19, we in other words, a unit composed of
want you to use your imagination and many elements working together. When
create a poster of a food journey. agriculture first began, humans could
never have imagined how farming could
Three winners in each age category bring complex systems to life over
will be selected by our jury and thousands of years all around the world.
announced here in December.
Winners will be promoted by FAO
offices around the world and receive
a surprise gift bag and Certificate
of Recognition.

The deadline for entries is

5 November 2021.

Find out more on:

www.fao.org/world-food-day/youth/
contest/en/

4
An agri-food system is a set of actions
that are all linked. It starts with farming
and continues to the products that arrive
at our homes, all the way to the things
we eventually dispose of back into the
environment. The cycle includes goods
of all kinds because agriculture, as we
shall see, does not only produce food
but also other products.

The Food and Agriculture Organization

of the United Nations (FAO) works with
over 190 countries to improve nutrition.
One of its main objectives is to study
this huge mechanism and improve it
at its core. In this book, we will try to
understand how agri-food systems work
and how we can play a part in making
them function better.
 The journey of seeds
Agriculture also includes fishing, animal farming, forest
production, the production of plant materials to make textiles
and much more. None of these activities are separate, so let’s
start by talking about seeds. In nature, the air scatters seeds
and helps them find new ground to grow, or if dropped in water,
seeds are swept away to another destination. Often, animals
who eat fruit carry seeds far away with their droppings. A long
time ago, farmers used to keep the seeds from their best plants
to replant cereals and vegetables. These days, people who
cultivate the land can either produce their own seeds or buy
them from seed companies, which are actually real industries.

So seeds can be industrial products? What does this mean? It

means that there are big farms where cereals and vegetables
are only farmed for the purpose of collecting seeds, which then
produce plants with specific characteristics. Eventually, these
seeds are packaged and sold all over the world. They need to be
registered and certified so that people can easily identify them
by name, origin and method of production.

Citrullus Lanatus, or watermelon, is a plant native to tropical Africa.

Although you may only be familiar with one type of watermelon, over
1000 varieties exist. They differ in weight, size and in the colour of their
pulp. In 2008, the Global Seed Vault was inaugurated on the Svalbard
Islands in Norway to preserve different seeds from all over the world, a
treasure that may otherwise have risked being lost.)
6
In the past fifty years, the cultivation
of many different crops was set aside
to make room for a small number of
fast-growing crops to produce greater
quantities of food.

A healthy agri-food system, however,

needs to guarantee biodiversity, or in
other words, keep a variety of species
alive. It’s important to limit monoculture,
or growing a single species, by
continuing to cultivate plants and
grains that are native to local territories.
This guarantees a variety of food for
a healthy diet and benefits the land.
Biodiversity also attracts bees and
birds – the natural enemies of parasites,
meaning fewer pesticides are needed.

Nature needs
variety

7
 The journey of products

Cultivation starts as soon as a seed or

seedling reaches the farm.

This is an important step. In a healthy

system, products grow without
weakening the soil or needing
dangerous pesticides and fertilizers.

Farm products like fish and meat can

be consumed by people that live near
farms…
…or they go on long journeys to distant
places
…or they are bought by food industries
that process them…
…and process them more
…and more.
8
A large part of agricultural production
is destined for animal feed (mainly
composed of corn and soy) for livestock.

Primary material for the textile industry

is also grown in fields like cotton, linen,
hemp and soy is grown to make plant
fuel. Cultivated forests provide wood
for the paper or furniture industry.

The agri-food
system doesn’t only
deal with food

9
 When products are
ready, the distribution
phase begins

Fresh produce can travel in simple boxes on

trucks to reach local markets, restaurants,
hotels or purchasing groups. It is usually already
washed but must be washed again and then
cut or cooked in order to be eaten. Fresh food
doesn’t require a lot of packaging, and if the land
it comes from is healthy, it’s usually even tastier.

Often, however, small-scale farmers suffer

losses. They lack modern tools or fridges, or the
capacity to predict how their products will sell.
If the cost of vegetables drops, for example, it
may not seem worthwhile to harvest the fruit or
vegetables, and they may be left to rot.

If food products are sent far away, it is washed

and packaged even more. Some salads, for
instance, are treated with preservatives to keep
them fresh. In fact, they can be eaten straight
from the packet. It’s handy, but food that travels
so far is usually not as rich in valuable nutrients
as fresh food. And then, what do we do with all
the packaging?

10
Foods that have been processed and are ready Paper, for instance, can come from controlled
to eat are often packaged multiple times. and sustainable tree cultivations. You should
Sometimes packaging takes up more space read labels carefully to be sure about what you
than the food itself. Long journeys also mean a are buying.
loss of fuel and water consumption, and a waste
of resources. Most packaged food and goods travel
by lorries, boats or even planes for mass
Have you ever asked yourself who makes food distribution. They reach shops, local markets,
packaging? The food industry assigns the design supermarkets, shopping centres but also big
of boxes, bags and all advertising to agencies restaurant or hotel chains.
that work hard to get people to know about their
products. Even videos, billboards or ads about As you can see, this is a long journey with many
what we eat are part of the agri-food system. stages. Agri-food systems provide work for a
billion people around the world – more than
Many governments force companies to record any other sector of the economy. And since we
product information on food labels: ingredients, all need to eat (some more, some less, some
nutritional information, where the product was better, some worse), this sector concerns the
produced or processed, and where they were whole world.
packaged. Even non-food products have labels.

11
Find three positive
and negative
examples of an
agri-food system
and explain why.

12
13
 In many cases these ultra-processed foods are
We are all connected! made with cheap and unhealthy ingredients that
you would never find in your cupboard. When all
The way in which we produce food affects the you can afford is poor quality food, you often get
entire planet, our natural resources, the way sick and this is very unfair. Today, two billion people
animals live, and the climate. Just consider the fact are severely overweight or suffer from obesity.
that we drink two litres of water a day, but 3000 Malnutrition, which includes hunger but also
litres are needed to produce what many of us eat obesity, affects more than 3 billion people in the
on a daily basis. world. FAO is working with countries to reduce this
figure to zero.
Right now, agri-food systems are responsible
for one third of carbon emissions that cause the
greenhouse effect and climate change. Intensive
agriculture can occupy a lot of space, destroying
the natural habitats of many species. Chemical
pesticides reach rivers and lakes, and finally end up
But what can be done?
in the sea. This has a negative impact on the fishing Besides this, the production of fertilisers consumes There are solutions
sector as well. fossil fuels such as oil, releasing a lot of CO2 into
the air. Intensive animal farming for meat and milk
production requires a lot of space and vast areas of
cereal farming for animal feed. Did you know that
a cow that doesn’t eat the right food can create a
lot of pollution? Farming animals in a responsible
way is fundamental to reducing pollution and
using water and other natural resources in a more
sustainable way.

Food processing is often a way to limit food waste.

After all, cheese, jams, dried fish and meat are
ways of preserving food so they last longer. When,
however, processing becomes excessive and
chemical preservatives are used, the food we eat
loses nutritional properties. Food that has been
highly processed is not nutritious, even if it seems
that way.

14
We need to persuade governments to encourage
the sustainable production of affordable and
nutritious food by providing incentives for
environmentally friendly behaviour and helping
small-scale farms. These are, in fact, the most at
risk of poverty in the event of natural disasters
or emergencies. Small-scale farms produce 33%
of the world’s food and often don’t earn enough.
In addition, in poor and rural areas, women are
the least paid category of all. It is only fair to
support them. Governments need to invest in their
education and they should have a say in decisions
that concern them.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that we all

have to work together for change. For example, Agri-food systems are linked to health, education
due to the crisis, small farmers worked even harder and even finance. The private sector – companies,
than usual to sell their harvests. They only escaped banks and donors – has to make responsible
poverty where governments found solutions to investments. It has to fund sustainable projects and
support them. innovation in the search for new and more eco-
friendly ways of crop farming, fishing and animal
farming.

In September 2021, the Secretary-General of

the United Nations will convene the first Food
Systems Summit. This great gathering of leaders,
researchers, private and international organizations
will decide on courageous actions to change the
way food is produced and consumed in order to
reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) –
read more on page 22.

Naturally, our help is also needed to stop

climate change, defend the environment and
combat injustice.

15
 Four steps forward

Everyone’s effort is needed to change the

situation. But how? Where can we start?

There are four key steps: we have to be

committed to better production, better nutrition, a
better environment and a better life for all.

Better production respects small farms, soils and

occurs without waste or unfair labour.

Better nutrition is achieved when a large variety of

healthy food is available at the right price: nobody
goes hungry and nobody gets sick because of
what they eat.

In this way, you create a better environment,

where crops don’t impoverish the land,
biodiversity is maintained and aquatic life
respected.

14% of food in the world is lost because of

poor harvesting, storage and transport. Another
16% is wasted by sellers, restaurant chains and
consumers. Think about all the labour and water
that goes into food that nobody actually eats.

16
It’s clear that all of this contributes to creating a
better life for all men, women and children - one
that is fairer, healthier and more beautiful. An
agri-food system that doesn’t pollute, in which
nothing is wasted and where the rights of workers
are respected is a safe and healthy system.It can
recover easily from difficulties such as natural
disasters or epidemics.

Now, let’s get to work! We also have a contribution

to make. Do you know who food heroes are?
They are the people who dedicate themselves to
improving our agri-food systems.

There are food

heroes all
over the world:
you can become
one too.

17
 Our four
improvements

For better production

We too, young and old, can influence
governments and private companies by buying
responsibly, talking about sustainable food at
home or at school and educating ourselves.
Let’s read product labels, pick healthy, fresh,
organic, seasonal food, and, if possible, food that
is produced close to where we live. Buying is a
choice that has an impact on everyone’s health
and on the planet’s health too.

For better nutrition

Let’s watch our diet. Ultra-processed foods can be
very tasty but they’re high in fat, heavy, very salty or
far too sweet, and full of preservatives. They don’t
contain nutritional properties that are necessary
for a healthy living. Let’s try to have a varied diet
without ever forgetting fruit and vegetables.
Let’s avoid eating too much meat by replacing it
sometimes with pulses or an all veggie meal. Let’s
pay attention to hygiene by washing vegetables
and our hands when we eat. And, if we can, let’s
grow our own vegetables at home or at school.
18
For a better environment
Let’s reduce waste. Keep an eye on what’s
happening at home, at school or in the restaurants
you go to. Learn how to read expiry dates on
products. If we see a ‘Use By’ date on a label, it
means that the product can no longer be eaten
the day after that. On the other hand, ‘Best Before’
means that the product can still be eaten the next
day even if it’s not in the best condition. Try to
consume what we buy and only buy what we really
need. How is waste managed in our area? If sorted
waste collection is not possible where we live, let’s
to recycle fabrics and containers.

For a better life

Our life only improves together with other lives:
those belonging to men and women, plants and
animals. This may not be obvious to us at first,
but sooner or later it makes sense. We might
know and then forget, but a single exceptional
event is all it takes to remind us that we really are
all part of one world. Food cannot be a source of
injustice and destruction because it is connected
to everything. It is life, culture and joy. Giving value
to what we eat means respecting oneself, others
and the planet.

19
 Activities
Do you like writing stories? Are you more of a journalist?
Each product has a story. Some of it is written on If there is a street market near you, why not
the label, the rest can be imagined. Try to write a interview the sellers. Ask them how far their
story in which you recreate the journey taken by a products have travelled. Try to trace it on a map.
food product to reach you. You could even let the You could also write an imaginary interview with a
food speak for itself. carrot or a type of bread. Let them describe their
journey from farm to table by themselves.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

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20
Or do you prefer drawing?
Imagine the story of a vegetable, cheese, jam or whatever
you prefer in the form of a comic strip. (Don’t forget that
there’s a Poster Contest especially for you. See page 3 for
more information).

21
 Peter Rabbit Food Hero
As we have seen, #FoodHeroes are dedicated to improving
the way food is produced, our diet, our environment
and our life. Peter Rabbit is now one of them as
#PeterRabbitFoodHero.

By following his example, you can discover

how to help the planet by eating more fruit
and vegetables. You can also buy food
locally, where possible, or grow vegetables
at home or at school. There are many
actions that can improve the lives of
everyone everywhere. Discover more at:
www.fao.org/world-food-day

The United Nations has established

17 Sustainable Development Goals to
reach by 2030. As food is linked to the
future of our planet, FAO is committed
to many of these objectives. A
significant milestone is SDG2, Zero
Hunger, which we all have to work
towards. Zero Hunger means defeating
all types of malnutrition: a lack of food
but also obesity and other illnesses that
are caused by the wrong type of diet.

Find more information on the SDGs here:

www.worldslargestlesson.globalgoals.org

What does sustainable mean?

It means that the actions taken to produce a commodity, service or
object don’t have negative effects on the planet. It means that the
Earth’s future inhabitants will thank us.
™ & © FW&Co. © 2021 CTMG.
22
INSTRUCTIONS

Now that you have completed the Activity Book, we want

__________________________________

Country:

__________________________________

Name:
you to become a Food Hero by doing your part.

Follow the steps below to complete your

Food Hero Passport:

1. Carefully tear out the passport on the right.

Remember to fold your passport down the middle

2. Fill in the details on the inner left page.

Age: __________
3. Draw a picture of yourself or glue a photo in the box
provided.

4. Take a Food Hero pledge. Choose 1-3 actions to

commit to and write them down in the space provided
in your passport. Get some inspiration from the actions
in this activity book, or think of some of your own!
Then sign your declaration.

3 ____________________________________________________

2 ____________________________________________________

1 ____________________________________________________
Sign on the line above
______________________________________________________

As a Food Hero, I commit to:

 Activity Book Series
You can download the FAO Activity Book Series on our “Building the #ZeroHunger Generation” portal together with
a range of material to support educators and parents in the preparation of activities or classes on important global
issues at the core of FAO’s work: www.fao.org/building-the-zerohunger-generation

FOOD HERO
PASSPORT
• Food Heroes • Healthy Plants • Eating Healthy Matters • Your Guide to FAO
Healthy Planet

• Change the future • Climate is Changing • Working for Zero Hunger

of Migration
will be valid for a sustainable world.
With your actions, this passport

Date . . /. . /. . . .

Contact us:
#FoodHeroes

world-food-day@fao.org
www.fao.org
www.fao.org

Food and Agriculture Organization

of the United Nations

Rome, Italy