Global Food Security and Nutrition to Take Center Stage at Lokman Hekim University
Lokman Hekim University will host “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026” on October 6, 2026, bringing together representatives of international organizations and experts to discuss food security, nutrition, and the economic barriers to healthy diets.
Held under the theme “Understanding and Addressing the High Cost of Healthy Diets,” the event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Conference Hall, A Block, Floor -1. Representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO) will take part in the program.
Key Findings from SOFI 2026
Following registration, the program will open with a video presentation on The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026, followed by welcome remarks from Prof. Dr. Fatih GÜLTEKİN, Rector of Lokman Hekim University; Dr. Mehmet ALTUĞ, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Stephen Cahill, WFP Türkiye Director; Dr. Sevil Huseynova, WHO Representative and Head of Office in Türkiye; Liam Chicca, IFAD Türkiye Director; and Dr. Ayşegül SELIŞIK, FAO Assistant Representative in Türkiye.
The program will then move to an overview of the SOFI 2026 Report, presented by Keigo Obara, Food Security Specialist at the FAO Subregional Office for Central Asia. His session will highlight key findings and developments shaping the global food security and nutrition agenda.
Inflation, Food Prices and Poverty in Focus
The second half of the event will explore the broader economic and social factors affecting access to healthy diets. Ekrem CÜNEDİOĞLU, Development Program Director at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Türkiye (TEPAV), will moderate a panel focusing on inflation, food inflation and poverty.
The panel will feature Dr. Sachly Duman, UNICEF Early Childhood Development Manager; Prof. Dr. Ayla Gülden PEKCAN, Head of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Lokman Hekim University; and nutrition and diet specialist Taylan KÜMELİ.
By bringing together perspectives from health, nutrition, economics and social policy, the event will provide a multidisciplinary platform for examining the challenges surrounding food security and the affordability of healthy diets.
Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Venue: Lokman Hekim University, Conference Hall, A Block, Floor -1
