Churches called to "Fast for Life" during Lent

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) is calling on churches and concerned individuals to address global hunger by reducing food waste and post harvest losses through a day of reflection and action on the “Fast for Life”.

In a worship service today marking Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, EAA Executive Director Peter Prove highlighted that a third of the food produced globally for human consumption is wasted because of “negligent stewardship”.

“Christians cannot be passive witnesses to the fact that 1.3 billion tons of food is squandered in this way annually, whilst 15 million children worldwide die of hunger each year,” stated Prove. “Or that the irrigation water used globally to grow food that is ultimately wasted would be enough for the domestic needs of 9 billion people. Or that 10% of rich countries greenhouse gas emissions come from growing food that is never eaten.”

Fast for Life is an annual EAA initiative which addresses global hunger and links to systemic problems in food production, distribution and consumption. “In rising to the challenge for feeding the world’s growing population, the first task is not to produce more, or to irrigate more, or to fertilize more, but to reduce the waste for which we are all responsible,” challenges Prove.

For more information consult the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance here.