Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Professor Muhammad Yunus has called for a bold transformation of the global economic system to ensure food security, justice, and sustainability for all. He made the remarks while delivering his keynote address at the plenary session of the World Food Forum (WFF) held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome on Monday (13 October, 2025).
In his powerful and forward-looking speech, Professor Yunus thanked FAO Director-General Dr. Qu Dongyu for his visionary leadership, saying, “Eighty years of FAO is not just a celebration — it is a call to prepare for the future.”
Speaking on this year’s WFF theme, “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” Professor Yunus emphasized that food is not only a matter of sustenance but also “about dignity, justice, and the kind of world we want to live in.”
Highlighting Bangladesh’s peaceful movement for democracy and justice led by young people, Professor Yunus said, “It was our youth — full of courage and hope — who led that movement. Their demand was simple: to give power back to the people.”
He noted that young Bangladeshis are now playing a vital role in rebuilding institutions and shaping a new, inclusive Bangladesh. The country, he said, is preparing for its upcoming national election in February 2026, a testament to its commitment to justice and people’s power.
Professor Yunus proudly noted Bangladesh’s remarkable progress in agriculture: “Despite our small land area — half of Italy — we feed over 170 million people and also support 1.3 million Rohingyas who fled under violence in Myanmar.”
He added that Bangladesh is now self-sufficient in rice and among the world’s top producers of rice, vegetables, and freshwater fish. The country has developed 133 climate-resilient rice varieties, achieved 214% cropping intensity, and implemented up to 70% farming mechanization subsidies — all while making progress in reducing stunting and diversifying diets.
Professor Yunus warned that hunger today is not due to scarcity but “a failure of the economic system — a moral failure.”
He contrasted the world’s inability to raise funds to end hunger with the $2.7 trillion spent on weapons, asking, “Is this how we define progress?”
He proposed six key global actions:
- Break the hunger–conflict cycle and ensure food access in war zones.
- Fulfil SDG finance commitments and strengthen climate resilience.
- Establish regional food banks to stabilize supply chains.
- Empower youth entrepreneurs through finance and global partnerships.
- Reform trade rules to support food security.
- Expand access to technology for the Global South and rural youth.
Professor Yunus urged nations to embrace a new economic model built on social business — business without personal profit — to solve pressing global problems.
He outlined his vision for a “Three-Zero World”:
- Zero Wealth Concentration to end poverty
- Zero Unemployment, replaced by universal entrepreneurship
- Zero Net Carbon Emissions
“This is not a dream,” he declared. “It is a necessity — the only way to save the world.”
Professor Yunus stressed that today’s youth are innovative and connected, urging global leaders to treat them not as job-seekers but as job creators. “Let’s give them access to capital and build agri-innovation hubs. If we invest in youth, we will not only feed the world — we will change the world.”
Concluding his address, Professor Yunus reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to global cooperation through the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty under the G20 framework.
“The pillars of this forum — Youth, Science, Investment — are not slogans,” he said. “They are the tools we need to transform our food systems and societies. If we can imagine it, we can create it.”
