Tuesday, 14 October, 2025
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday delivered a bold appeal to global leaders, urging them to end hunger and wars and presenting six transformative measures to ensure global food security — even as the world spends a staggering $2.7 trillion annually on military armaments.
“While we cannot raise a few billion dollars to end hunger, the world spends 2.7 trillion dollars on weapons. Is this how we define progress?” he asked, addressing delegates at the 2025 World Food Forum (WFF).
Prof Yunus emphasized the urgent need to break the hunger–conflict cycle: stop the wars, start the dialogue, and guarantee food access in conflict zones.
He called on governments and institutions to keep their promises — fulfill the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) finance commitments, take climate action seriously, and empower the most vulnerable to build resilience.
Among his six concrete measures:
Establish regional food banks to manage shocks and stabilize supply chains.
Support local entrepreneurs, especially youth, through finance, infrastructure, and global partnerships.
End export bans and ensure trade rules bolster food security rather than undermine it.
Guarantee access to technology and innovation for the Global South and rural youth, both boys and girls.
“Transformation is possible,” Prof Yunus said, “but only if we act decisively, invest wisely, and prioritize the most vulnerable.”
The WFF, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization, runs from October 10 to 17 and brings together youth, scientists, innovators, and global policymakers to accelerate actionable solutions for sustainable food systems.
The theme for the week-long event is ‘Hand in Hand for better foods and a better future’, and it focuses on three pillars: Global Youth Action, Science and Innovation, and Hand-In-Hand Investment.
The World Food Forum (WFF) is an open and inclusive global platform established by the Youth Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2021 to drive the transformation of agrifood systems through the power of youth, science and innovation, and investment.
It brought together stakeholders of all ages and sectors to turn ideas into action, scale solutions and foster meaningful partnerships that accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General of FAO, invited the Chief Adviser.
"Eighty years of FAO is not just a celebration. It is a call to prepare — for the future. This year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future”, reminds us: food is not just about calories. It's about dignity. It’s about justice. It’s about the world we want to live in," Prof Yunus said.
He said Bangladesh is proud to support global cooperation. "We are a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. Together with FAO and under the G20, we are committed to real, practical support — technical, financial, and moral," said the Chief Adviser.
"Now, let us work together — to build a Three-Zero World," he said.
The pillars of this forum — Youth, Science, Investment — are not slogans, Prof Yunus said, adding thst they are the tools they need to transform their food systems and societies.
He said today’s world has resources and it has technology. "It will have more mind-boggling technology. But we need the creative ideas to use this technology with appropriate business format to create a new world. If we can imagine it, we can create it."
Prof Yunus said last year, people of Bangladesh rose peacefully to reclaim their power to ensure democracy, peace, and human rights for all. It was our youth — young people full of courage and hope — who led that movement.
"Their demand was simple: to give power back to the people. To create a society based on fairness, inclusion, and trust," he said.
Prof Yunus said he is very happy that the Nobel Peace Laureates alliance for Food Security and Peace which was established by FAO in 2016 and of which he is a member has been recognized as an FAO milestone.
"I hope it will continue to create more milestones," Prof Yunus said.
"But let us speak the truth clearly:
Hunger is not caused by scarcity. It is caused by the failure of the economic framework that we have designed.
In 2024, 673 million people went hungry," the Chief Adviser said.
"Yet we produce more than enough food. This is not a failure of production — it’s a failure of the economic system. It’s a moral failure," he said.
Prof Yunus said they must go deeper, and rethink the entire economic system.
"The old way —which is based on profit-maximising business, — has left billions behind. We need to add a new kind of business — social business, business without personal profit, — that solves problems, not creates them, by creating sustainable businesses," he said.
Many social businesses are growing around the world but without policy support and institutional recognition, he said.
"Ultimate objective is to create a ‘Three-Zero World’: A world with Zero Wealth Concentration to end Poverty; Zero Unemployment, by replacing it with entrepreneurship for all and Zero Net Carbon Emissions," he said.
This is not a dream, Prof Yunus said. "It is a necessity, the only way to save the world."
Prof Yunus said Social business is the way forward. "We’ve seen its power in Bangladesh. Grameen Bank showed how poor women can be powerful entrepreneurs."
He said they must create social business funds — to support young entrepreneurs, women, farmers, agri-business creators and technology developers.
"We must build legal and financial frameworks to support this kind of entrepreneurship — not stand in its way," Prof Yunus said.
"And this brings me to the most important part: our youth. Today’s young people are not like before. They are connected. They are creative. They have technology in their hands that was unthinkable just 20 years ago," he added.
Prof Yunus said, "Let’s not tell them to wait for jobs. Let’s empower them to create jobs. Let’s tell them: you are not job-seekers — you are job creators."
He also said, "Let us give them access to capital — by creating investment funds and social business funds. Let us help create agri-innovation hubs. Let us support agri-tech, circular food systems, climate-smart enterprises — all can be led by the youth."
Prof Yunus said if they invest in youth, they will not only feed the world, they change the world.
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Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday delivered a bold appeal to global leaders, urging them to end hunger and wars and presenting six transformative measures to ensure global food security — even as the world spends a staggering $2.7 trillion annually on military armaments.
“While we cannot raise a few billion dollars to end hunger, the world spends 2.7 trillion dollars on weapons. Is this how we define progress?” he asked, addressing delegates at the 2025 World Food Forum (WFF).
Prof Yunus emphasized the urgent need to break the hunger–conflict cycle: stop the wars, start the dialogue, and guarantee food access in conflict zones.
He called on governments and institutions to keep their promises — fulfill the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) finance commitments, take climate action seriously, and empower the most vulnerable to build resilience.
Among his six concrete measures:
Establish regional food banks to manage shocks and stabilize supply chains.
Support local entrepreneurs, especially youth, through finance, infrastructure, and global partnerships.
End export bans and ensure trade rules bolster food security rather than undermine it.
Guarantee access to technology and innovation for the Global South and rural youth, both boys and girls.
“Transformation is possible,” Prof Yunus said, “but only if we act decisively, invest wisely, and prioritize the most vulnerable.”
The WFF, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization, runs from October 10 to 17 and brings together youth, scientists, innovators, and global policymakers to accelerate actionable solutions for sustainable food systems.
The theme for the week-long event is ‘Hand in Hand for better foods and a better future’, and it focuses on three pillars: Global Youth Action, Science and Innovation, and Hand-In-Hand Investment.
The World Food Forum (WFF) is an open and inclusive global platform established by the Youth Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2021 to drive the transformation of agrifood systems through the power of youth, science and innovation, and investment.
It brought together stakeholders of all ages and sectors to turn ideas into action, scale solutions and foster meaningful partnerships that accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General of FAO, invited the Chief Adviser.
"Eighty years of FAO is not just a celebration. It is a call to prepare — for the future. This year’s theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future”, reminds us: food is not just about calories. It's about dignity. It’s about justice. It’s about the world we want to live in," Prof Yunus said.
He said Bangladesh is proud to support global cooperation. "We are a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. Together with FAO and under the G20, we are committed to real, practical support — technical, financial, and moral," said the Chief Adviser.
"Now, let us work together — to build a Three-Zero World," he said.
The pillars of this forum — Youth, Science, Investment — are not slogans, Prof Yunus said, adding thst they are the tools they need to transform their food systems and societies.
He said today’s world has resources and it has technology. "It will have more mind-boggling technology. But we need the creative ideas to use this technology with appropriate business format to create a new world. If we can imagine it, we can create it."
Prof Yunus said last year, people of Bangladesh rose peacefully to reclaim their power to ensure democracy, peace, and human rights for all. It was our youth — young people full of courage and hope — who led that movement.
"Their demand was simple: to give power back to the people. To create a society based on fairness, inclusion, and trust," he said.
Prof Yunus said he is very happy that the Nobel Peace Laureates alliance for Food Security and Peace which was established by FAO in 2016 and of which he is a member has been recognized as an FAO milestone.
"I hope it will continue to create more milestones," Prof Yunus said.
"But let us speak the truth clearly:
Hunger is not caused by scarcity. It is caused by the failure of the economic framework that we have designed.
In 2024, 673 million people went hungry," the Chief Adviser said.
"Yet we produce more than enough food. This is not a failure of production — it’s a failure of the economic system. It’s a moral failure," he said.
Prof Yunus said they must go deeper, and rethink the entire economic system.
"The old way —which is based on profit-maximising business, — has left billions behind. We need to add a new kind of business — social business, business without personal profit, — that solves problems, not creates them, by creating sustainable businesses," he said.
Many social businesses are growing around the world but without policy support and institutional recognition, he said.
"Ultimate objective is to create a ‘Three-Zero World’: A world with Zero Wealth Concentration to end Poverty; Zero Unemployment, by replacing it with entrepreneurship for all and Zero Net Carbon Emissions," he said.
This is not a dream, Prof Yunus said. "It is a necessity, the only way to save the world."
Prof Yunus said Social business is the way forward. "We’ve seen its power in Bangladesh. Grameen Bank showed how poor women can be powerful entrepreneurs."
He said they must create social business funds — to support young entrepreneurs, women, farmers, agri-business creators and technology developers.
"We must build legal and financial frameworks to support this kind of entrepreneurship — not stand in its way," Prof Yunus said.
"And this brings me to the most important part: our youth. Today’s young people are not like before. They are connected. They are creative. They have technology in their hands that was unthinkable just 20 years ago," he added.
Prof Yunus said, "Let’s not tell them to wait for jobs. Let’s empower them to create jobs. Let’s tell them: you are not job-seekers — you are job creators."
He also said, "Let us give them access to capital — by creating investment funds and social business funds. Let us help create agri-innovation hubs. Let us support agri-tech, circular food systems, climate-smart enterprises — all can be led by the youth."
Prof Yunus said if they invest in youth, they will not only feed the world, they change the world.
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