World Food Day celebrated with promotion of food security

In observance of World Food Day 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), hosted an agricultural exhibition and open day on Wednesday at the Bourda Cricket Ground.

The event aimed to promote the importance of food security, while ensuring global access to nutritious food.

The event saw the participation of representatives of the diplomatic community, CARICOM, agencies within the MOA, and citizens, including students from across the country, all gathering under the theme, 'Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future'.

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha emphasised the vital role of food security in international development stating that "access to nutritious food and sustainable food, is a cornerstone of the development of human dignity."

He added, "When people have access to nutritious food, they are better equipped to contribute to their communities, to participate fully in society and to recognise and realise their dreams."

In light of global food security issues such as poverty and malnourishment, the government has implemented several initiatives to ensure access to healthy food options for all citizens.

These efforts have yielded notable results, with Guyana achieving a 2.5 per cent reduction in undernourishment rates, one of the lowest in the Caribbean.

Minister Mustapha attributed this significant decrease to the government's consistent efforts to advance the nation's food system.

"This decrease in percentage has not been accidental, but the result of deliberate policy interventions aimed at enhancing food production and improving access to nutritious food" the minister stated.

The government provided over 102,000 students with warm, nourishing meals through the National School Feeding Programme in the first half of 2024.

Additional feeding programmes, cash grants, and health initiatives have also been implemented nationwide.

The agriculture sector has undergone extensive modernisation by introducing technologies, such as hydroponic systems and shade houses.

According to Minister Mustapha, "in Guyana today we have the largest hydroponics farm in the Caribbean, and in a few months' time, we will be constructing another three of these farms in Regions Two, Five and Ten."

Guyana is working alongside the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to construct a Centre of Excellence for precision farming and digital agriculture.

These efforts move towards realising CARICOM's goal of reducing the food import bill by 25 per cent. They are a testament to the government's dedication to ensuring a prosperous future for the Guyanese public.

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