Pope Leo XIV calls for a new global food order based on justice

In a message for World Food Day delivered at the World Food Forum in Rome, Pope Leo XIV called for a new global food order based on justice. Addressing the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Pope stated that regular access to safe and sufficient food is a fundamental human right.

He characterized the persistence of hunger and poverty despite scientific and technological advancements as a profound anthropological and ethical crisis rather than a purely technical or financial issue. The Pope criticized agricultural technologies that damage soil fertility or displace farmers for economic gain, describing such practices as ‘a sophisticated form of destruction.’

Furthermore, Leo XIV warned against the financialization of food, urging that bread should not be used as a tool for geopolitical pressure or a volatile financial asset. He emphasized that innovation should be measured by its contribution to human dignity and ecosystem integrity rather than solely by production volume.