Pope Leo XIV has cautioned against using food as a weapon of war, an instrument of geopolitical pressure or a volatile financial asset.
The Pope gave the warning in his message at the 2026 World Food Day Ceremony, delivered by Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, the Vatican’s representative to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
The ceremony, held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, was monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) via webinar.
The Pope said that despite advances in technology, hunger persisted because of inadequate political will and collective commitment to ensuring access to food.
“In an era of greater technological advancement than ever before, it is intolerable that bread should be considered a privilege rather than a contested commodity,” he said.
He stressed that access to safe, adequate and sufficient food was a basic human right, adding that guaranteeing it was an obligation of individual states and the international community.
The Pope also cautioned against technological advancement driven solely by profit, warning that agricultural practices that depleted soil fertility or displaced farmers could not be considered progress.
He called for greater investment in sustainable agricultural research and the restoration of degraded soils, while urging the integration of modern technology with farmers’ traditional knowledge.
“A new global food order is essential, one in which technological innovation is unconditionally subordinate to respect for God-given human dignity and the universal common good.
“If we sow unethical innovation based on our desire to dominate the earth and exclude the weak, we will reap violence and strife.
“If, on the other hand, innovation stands for respect for the natural order and justice for the hungry, tomorrow will bring nourishment for humanity,” he said.
Earlier, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said innovation must be people-centred and accessible, particularly to farmers and rural communities, to improve food security, livelihoods and economic development.
Qu said technologies such as satellite crop monitoring, early-warning systems, smart irrigation and digital platforms were helping farmers manage climate risks, conserve water and access markets and financial services.
“Yet, innovation alone is not enough. Its true value lies in reaching the people who need it the most, and that it will be shared and scaled,” the D-G said.
He noted that a wide gap remained between what science could achieve and what reached farmers, urging stronger investment and partnerships to ensure that innovations addressed local needs.
Qu said climate extremes, water scarcity and conflict were placing increasing pressure on agri-food systems, making innovation essential to producing more food with fewer resources and strengthening resilience.
He called for collaboration among governments, researchers, producers and communities, stressing that no single institution could achieve the transformation required.
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