The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reaffirmed its long-standing partnership with the government of Cambodia and local communities as the UN agency, government and local community celebrated World Food Day 2025 in Mondulkiri province.
“A food-secure future will not simply arrive — it must be built. Built through partnerships, built through trust and built through the belief that no one should ever be left behind,” said Rebekah Bell, FAO representative in Cambodia, during the October 16 celebrations.
“Here in Mondulkiri, surrounded by farmers, youth and indigenous communities, we are reminded that global goals are achieved through local action — as they have been throughout FAO’s 75 years in Cambodia,” she added.
This year’s World Food Day is themed “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”, and coincides with the 80th anniversary of the FAO and 75 years of its partnership with Cambodia. The agency has stood alongside the government of Cambodia, supporting farmers, strengthening institutions and promoting sustainable development in agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
World Food Day is celebrated globally to highlight the urgent need to transform agrifood systems so they are more sustainable, inclusive and resilient. In Cambodia, agriculture remains the foundation of rural livelihoods, and Cambodia’s youth are key to shaping the future of food and farming.
Meas Pyseth, agriculture ministry secretary of state, underscored the vital role of agriculture and the collective efforts in shaping Cambodia’s agrifood future.
“First observed in 1981, World Food Day reminds us of the vital role agriculture plays in ensuring food security, nutrition and rural development. As Cambodia joins the global community in this commemoration, we reaffirm our shared commitment to collective action toward a world free from hunger,” he said.
Kyungnan Park of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) also addressed the celebrations.She emphasised how the collective strength of communities, governments, youth and farmers can transform not just fields but futures.
“At WFP, we believe that true food security is not handed down from above but nurtured by farmers who transform waste into nourishment and surpass challenges to cultivate better lives. Today in Mondulkiri, we stand side by side with these communities — women, indigenous farmers, youth, local authorities and partners — planting seeds of dignity, resilience and nourishment. Together, we are not only feeding bodies; we are renewing hope and reclaiming futures in every field,” she said.
It was the first time local farmer Verng Sony participated in World Food Day celebrations.
“This is the first time an event like this has taken place in our village. It gives us farmers a real moment of pride — a chance to celebrate our hard work and the food we produce,” he said.
