Rome – "Globally, one-third of rural areas (31.9%) are experiencing food insecurity. To ensure the right to food for all, it is essential to strengthen the resilience of agricultural systems through innovation and improved access to knowledge for small and medium farmers," said Giuseppino Santoianni, president of the Italian Farmers Association (AIC), on the occasion of World Food Day. According to the latest FAO estimates, over 700 million people suffer from hunger, while almost 3 billion (35.2% of the global population) cannot afford adequate nutrition. "Conflicts, economic crises, and climate shocks are worsening the conditions of those already struggling, making the agricultural sector extremely vulnerable," commented the AIC president. "In this context, we echo the call from the International Fund for Agricultural Development to mobilize 400 billion dollars annually until 2030 to fund the sustainable transformation of agricultural systems." "The African continent remains the most affected by food crises," Santoianni added. "It is crucial to make the G7’s commitments with the Apulia Food System Initiative binding and to turn the African Union’s extraordinary Agriculture Summit in Kampala in January 2025 into a catalyst for this green revolution."