Food Tank recently had the opportunity to speak with Roger Thurow, senior fellow on global agriculture and food policy at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, who was one of the speakers at the 2015 Food Tank Summit in partnership with The George Washington University.
Food Tank (FT): What will your message be at the Food Tank Summit?
Roger Thurow (RT): Using the art of storytelling to outrage and inspire. To outrage, by raising the clamor that hunger and malnutrition in the 21st Century is an abomination, by stirring the global conscience…To inspire, by highlighting the people who are doing something about it, individuals who are on the front lines conquering this great challenge of ending hunger and malnutrition.
FT: How are you contributing to building a better food system?
RT: By outraging and inspiring, I hope.
FT: What are the biggest obstacles or challenges you face in achieving your organization’s goals?
RT: Indifference and ignorance. When people have the facts, the outrage and the inspiration, they act.
FT: Who is your food hero and why?
RT: Two people:
Norman Borlaug, father of the Green Revolution, who showed that one person can make a big difference…he saved millions of lives and has inspired generations of farmers, scientists, academics, activists, philanthropists and politicians.
Tony Hall, Congressman, ambassador, and advocate, who for centuries has spoken truth to power about global hunger and poverty…he continues to fan the embers of outrage.
FT: In 140 characters or less what is the most important thing we can all do to help change the food system.
RT: Raise the clamor, spread the outrage, be an inspiration.
