Staff Reporter
Islamabad
At the global World Food Day ceremony today, speakers called for solidarity to help all populations and to build back better by making food systems more robust and resilient.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) observed World Food Day 2020 in collaboration with the Ministry of National Food Security Research, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), World Food Program (WFP), Oxfam and IFAD.
This year’s commemoration is being held at the National Agriculture Research Center (NARC) Auditorium in Islamabad, under the theme “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together”. The focus is on the importance of healthy diets and the contribution of food heroes, particularly smallholder farmers, including women towards achieving “zero hunger” and fighting malnutrition in their communities. Considering the Covid-19 health measures’ advice against physical gatherings, the event was held under strict Covid-19 SOPs.
The event is attended by several experts and guests virtually. The primary aim of the day is to enhance public awareness about long-term global food challenges and to advance further national and international cohesion in the fight against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.
Chief Guest of the event, Syed Fakhar Imam the Federal Minister for NFSR, while delivering his speech, stated that “Present Government fully appreciates the importance of agriculture in ensuring food security and we are focusing to ensure supply of key inputs fertilizer, seed, pesticides at rational prices and endeavours to create an environment where farmers get a fair return to their produce.”
FAO Representative Ms. Mina Dowlatchahi highlighted the importance of reliable data and information to support targeted policies and collective action by government, civil society and private sector to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Pakistan, at a challenging time amidst Covid-19 pandemic impacts and natural hazards shocks and trans boundary pests.
