Using Language

2. Listen to a radio interview and take notes. Then answer the following questions.

Host（女）:  Good morning, listeners. Today is World Food Day, and David Bond from the UN’s  FAO is here to talk to us about world hunger. Welcome, David! Please explain what the FAO is and what  its aims are.

David（男）: Good morning. For those who don’t know, FAO stands for Food and Agriculture Organisation. And our aim is simple—to eliminate world hunger, which, according to our latest figures, stands at around 11% of the world’s population

Host:  So I guess things like droughts, floods, and climate change are all major factors in this.

David: Yes, that’s right, they can all seriously affect crop production. And another factor is poverty. There is strong evidence to suggest that many people just can’t afford to eat well. And it’s not just about having enough food to eat; people need to eat enough nutritious food, which often they cannot afford or do not have access to. The FAO believes everyone should have the right to healthy food.

Host:  And what about war? I’ve seen many researchers say that it directly leads to mass hunger.

David: Absolutely true. Our research indicates that wars can heavily affect food production and transportation, meaning that millions of people have to go hungry

Host:  So what can we do to alleviate world hunger?

David: Well, the UN is making efforts to reduce climate change, and the FAO runs a project called Climate-smart Agriculture, which helps countries to develop sustainable agriculture. However, every country needs to focus on making new achievements in agriculture, too, which can often benefit the whole world. Like China, for example, whose development of hybrid rice has greatly increased rice production in many other countries. And, of course, global conflict must be eliminated. And don’t forget that we as individuals can also make a difference: buy food that supports the environment, and never waste food.

Host:  David Bond, thank you very much. Just a quick message to our listeners: you can find more information on world hunger on the FAO website…