‘Three-Zero World’ is only way to save world: Yunus

Published : Monday, 13 October, 2025 at 8:36 PM Count : 10

Putting emphasis on launching a new kind of business - social business, business without personal profit, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday said that building a world with 'three-zeros' is not a dream but a necessity to save the world.

"Ultimate objective is to create a 'Three-Zero World': A World with Zero Wealth Concentration to end Poverty, Zero Unemployment, by replacing it with entrepreneurship for all and Zero Net Carbon. This is not a dream. It is a necessity, the only way to save the world," he said.

The chief adviser made the remarks while presenting a keynote speech at the grand opening of the World Food Forum (WFF) flagship event 2025 at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy, this afternoon (Rome Time).

At the event, the chief adviser placed six proposals calling for a complete transformation of the global food and economic systems to end hunger, saying that hunger is caused by the failure of the existing economic framework.

He also stressed on going deeper for systematic change, saying, "We must rethink the entire economic system. The old way - which is based on profit-maximising business - has left billions behind."

"We need to add a new kind of business - social business, business without personal profit, - that solves problems, not creates them, by creating sustainable business," he said, adding, many social businesses are growing around the world but without policy support and institutional recognition.

Noting that social business is the way forward, Yunus said, "We've seen its power in Bangladesh. Grameen Bank showed how poor women can be powerful entrepreneurs. Grameen Danone fights child malnutrition."

Other social businesses created around the world have empowered people and communities, he said, adding, "These are not theories - they are living examples."

"We must create social business funds - to support young entrepreneurs, women, farmers, agri-business creators and technology developers. We must build legal and financial frameworks to support this kind of entrepreneurship - not stand in its way," Yunus emphasised.

Turning to the role of youth to build a world with "three-zeros", the Nobel laureate said, "Today's young people are not like before. They are connected. They are creative. They have technology in their hands that were unthinkable just 20 years ago."

"Let's not tell them to wait for jobs. Let's empower them to create jobs. Let's tell them: you are not job-seekers - you are job creators," he also said, adding, "Let us give them access to capital - by creating investment funds and social business funds. Let us help create agri-innovation hubs. Let us support agri-tech, circular food systems, climate-smart enterprises - all can be led by the youth."

"If we invest in youth, we will not only feed the world, we'll change the world," he said.

Highlighting Bangladesh's support to global cooperation, he said, "We are a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. Together with FAO and under the G20, we are committed to real, practical support - technical, financial, and moral."

"Now, let us work together - to build a Three-Zero World," the chief adviser added.

Putting emphasis on imagination and innovation, Yunus said, "The pillars of this forum - Youth, Science, Investment - are not slogans. They are the tools we need to transform our food systems and our societies."

Noting that today's world has resources, technology, he said, "It will have more mind-boggling technology. But we need the creative ideas to use this technology with appropriate business format to create a new world. If we can imagine it, we can create it."

FP/MI