Pope Francis Speaks Out Against Hunger, Broken Food Systems

Pope Francis has been showcasing his interest in a wide range of global issues and concerns throughout his papacy. Most recently, he spoke at the Second International Conference of Nutrition in Rome, where he addressed nutritionists and policymakers about his concerns over not only world hunger, but also the corruption of the food supply due to tampering (through creation of GMOs, etc.) and the commodification of sustenance, making nutritious food hard to reach for many people the world over.

The Pope warned that before we begin tampering with the "fruits of Mother Nature," we must focus on the large multitude of people who suffer from hunger every day.

"Interest in the production, availability and accessibility of foodstuffs, climate change, and agricultural trade should certainly inspire rules and technical measures, but the first concern must be the individual as a whole, who lacks daily nourishment and has given up thinking about life, family, and social relationships, instead fighting for survival," he said in his speech at the conference, also naming the main "Evils" of food production which include waste, over-consumption, and the use of food for other ends.

In the past, the Pope has chastised the global community for its "despicable culture of food waste."