Minute for Mission: World Food Day

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An artisanal miner in the Democratic Republic of Congo sifts through minerals. DRC is rich in minerals, many of them used to fund armed groups, contributing to violence, hunger and poverty. (Valery Nodem)

On this World Food Day, we recognize the devastating impact of war and violent conflict on global hunger and poverty. In 2025 alone, the world is witnessing armed conflicts that have taken hundreds of thousands of lives and destroyed livelihoods in places such as Ukraine, Palestine/Israel, Sudan, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti, among others.

Wars and conflicts deepen hunger and poverty in many ways:

• They take lives, tear families apart, and reduce the labor force that grows food and sustains communities.
• They disrupt food systems — damaging agricultural land, crops, livestock, and storage facilities, and interrupting the flow of food supplies.
• They displace people, forcing them from their homes and farms, often turning them into refugees without the ability to grow food, earn income or provide for their families.
• They destroy infrastructure, including roads, water systems, and markets, making both food and clean water scarce.
• They create economic instability — driving inflation, unemployment and currency collapse — leaving food unaffordable for many.
• They “weaponize food,” blockading humanitarian aid, denying access to those most in need and using starvation as a tool of war.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program partners with communities in war-torn countries to support local food production and emergency access to food. In Palestine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen and other regions, we walk alongside those who can no longer feed themselves because of conflict. We support efforts that protect women and children, advocate for peace, and seek a future where people live in security and dignity.

This World Food Day also marks the 80th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization. The theme, “Hand in hand for better food and a better future,” is a call to collaborate toward a food-secure, peaceful and flourishing world where all people have enough to live with dignity.

Valery Nodem, Associate for International Hunger Concerns, Presbyterian Hunger Program

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff:

Barry Creech, Deputy Executive Director, Interim Senior Leadership Team, Interim Unified Agency
Freddy Cruz, Program Assistant for Mission Payments, Finance & Administration, Interim Unified Agency

Let us pray:

Almighty God, in these times when the world is shaken by violence and war, we lift our hearts to you. We pray for those caught in civil conflicts, for those who are hungry and cannot access food, for children in need of nourishment, and for families struggling to put meals on the table. Provide the food and resources so desperately needed. Touch the hearts of leaders and people everywhere, inspiring us to work for a just and sustainable food system, ensuring a place at the table for all. Amen.