Prof Muhammad Yunus Calls for a “Three-Zero World” at the World Food Forum 2025 | UNB

Summary

In this powerful speech, the speaker emphasizes the urgent need for systemic change to address hunger and food insecurity. They highlight the importance of youth-driven movements, the rise of social business, and the necessity of rethinking economic systems. The speaker stresses that hunger isn't due to scarcity but the failure of global economic frameworks. They propose bold steps, such as investing in youth, creating social business funds, and implementing climate-smart agriculture. Ultimately, the goal is to create a world of 'three zeros': zero wealth concentration, zero unemployment, and zero carbon emissions, driven by innovation and youth leadership.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker emphasizes that the World Food Forum is not just a venue for discussion but a platform for concrete action toward global food security and a better future.
• 🇧🇩 Bangladesh's youth played a central role in a peaceful movement to restore democracy, fairness, and inclusion, leading to institutional rebuilding and empowerment of the people.
• 🌾 Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in rice production and ranks among the world’s top producers of rice, vegetables, and freshwater fish despite its small land area.
• 💧 The nation has introduced 133 climate-resilient rice varieties, mechanized agriculture with up to 70% subsidies, and developed a strong food distribution system.
• 🕊️ Hunger is not caused by food scarcity but by a failure in the global economic system — a moral failure that prioritizes military spending over ending hunger.
• ⚖️ The speaker calls for systemic reforms: ending wars, ensuring food access in conflict zones, fulfilling SDG finance promises, and taking serious climate action.
• 🏦 Proposes regional food banks, support for youth entrepreneurs, fair trade rules, and equal access to agricultural technology — especially for the Global South.
• 💡 Introduces the concept of 'social business' — enterprises without personal profit that solve social and environmental problems, driving sustainable change.
• 🌱 The goal is a 'world of three zeros': zero wealth concentration (to end poverty), zero unemployment (through entrepreneurship), and zero net carbon emissions.
• 👩‍🌾 The speaker stresses empowering youth as job creators, not job seekers, by giving them access to capital, social business funds, and innovation hubs in agriculture and climate-smart enterprises.
• 🤝 Bangladesh supports global cooperation as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, working with FAO and G20 to provide technical and financial assistance.
• 🚀 The message concludes with a call to harness technology and creativity to reimagine and build a fairer, sustainable world through collaboration and youth-led innovation.

Q & A

What was the main theme of the speech delivered at the World Food Forum?

The main theme was 'hand in hand for better food and a better future,' emphasizing that food is not just about calories but also about dignity, justice, and the kind of world humanity wants to live in.

Who delivered the speech and what notable organization were they representing?

The speech was delivered by a Bangladeshi representative, a Nobel Peace Laureate, who has long been associated with social business and the Grameen Bank, representing Bangladesh and its achievements in food security and social innovation.

What achievements in food production did the speaker highlight about Bangladesh?

Bangladesh has become self-sufficient in rice, ranks among the world's top producers of rice, vegetables, and freshwater fish, and supports 1.3 million Rohingya refugees while feeding over 170 million citizens.

How has Bangladesh improved its agricultural resilience?

Bangladesh has released 133 climate-resilient rice varieties, increased cropping intensity to 214%, mechanized farming with subsidies up to 70%, and implemented programs to reduce stunting and diversify diets.

What is the key message regarding the global issue of hunger presented in the speech?

The speaker emphasized that hunger is not caused by scarcity but by failures in the global economic system—specifically, moral and structural failures that allow hunger to persist despite global food abundance.

What global spending disparity did the speaker highlight to demonstrate moral imbalance?

The speaker pointed out that while the world failed to raise a few billion dollars to end hunger, it spent $2.7 trillion on weapons, questioning global definitions of progress and morality.

What major reforms did the speaker propose to address hunger and inequality?

The proposed steps included breaking the hunger–conflict cycle, fulfilling SDG financial commitments, taking serious climate action, building regional food banks, supporting youth entrepreneurship, ending export bans, and ensuring access to technology for the Global South.

What economic model did the speaker advocate as an alternative to profit-maximizing capitalism?

The speaker proposed the concept of 'social business'—a business model without personal profit that focuses on solving social and environmental problems while being financially sustainable.

What are the 'three zeros' envisioned by the speaker for a better world?

The 'three zeros' are zero wealth concentration to end poverty, zero unemployment through universal entrepreneurship, and zero net carbon emissions to save the planet.

How did the speaker emphasize the role of youth in transforming societies?

The speaker highlighted youth as the most powerful, connected, and creative generation in history, urging empowerment through access to capital, innovation hubs, and opportunities to become job creators rather than job seekers.

What global collaboration efforts did Bangladesh commit to according to the speech?

Bangladesh committed to working with FAO and G20 as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, providing practical technical, financial, and moral support for global cooperation.

How does the speaker view technology in shaping the future of food systems and societies?

The speaker acknowledged the limitless potential of technology but stressed the need for creative and ethical business models to harness it effectively for social transformation and sustainable development.