Church of Jesus Christ Participates in World Food Prize Dialogue to Promote Nutrition for Women and Children

Humanitarian Services at the World Food Prize Borlaug International Dialogue

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently participated in the World Food Prize Borlaug International Dialogue held in Des Moines, Iowa. This annual event awards individuals who significantly improve the world’s food supply. This year’s laureates, Geoffrey Hawtin and Cary Fowler, were recognized for their work in protecting biodiversity through crop genebanks and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

The Church hosted an information booth and two side events during the conference, which ran from October 28 to 31. These events featured representatives from organizations like CARE International, Save the Children, and the Hunger Project. They discussed their collaborations with the Church aimed at enhancing nutrition for women and children in twelve countries.

Sessions highlighted the positive impacts of empowering local women farmers and addressing cultural barriers. Many efforts prioritize using local resources while introducing new knowledge to help families become self-sufficient and healthier.

Dana Smith, a global nutritionist at iDE, noted the importance of the collaboration, stating that it connects food systems and health systems to combat malnutrition. Panelists emphasized shared values and transparency as keys to innovating efficiently for long-term solutions. Mona Sherpa, CARE’s Nepal country director, discussed how empowering women farmers with financial and educational resources enables them to make informed choices about their agricultural practices.

Diana Kibugu, a 17-year-old student from Nairobi, Kenya, attended the conference as part of its Global Youth Institute. Interested in malnutrition in Nigeria, she sought insights into initiatives that could benefit Kenya. She expressed hope for improved nutrition to foster harmony and prevent conflict.

President Camille N. Johnson of the Relief Society emphasized the Church’s commitment to global initiatives for women and children. She stated, “Global progress starts with nourishing children and strengthening women.”

The Church provides training materials on nutrition through its website to educate families on this important topic. Additional resources on how to participate in the global initiative for women and children are available online.

For more information, visit childnutrition.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.