BY JOHN CHRISMA
THE three days 2021 World Food Day Celebrations have ended successfully this week in Honiara.
The event which was held at town ground saw a number of local farmers attending and showcasing their produce under the theme “ YOUR ACTIONS ARE YOUR FUTURE: BETTER PRODUCTION, BETTER NUTRITION, A BETTER ENVIRONMENT AND A BETTER LIFR FOR ALL, LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND.”
The event also enables farmers to educate each other and also those attending the occasion on the importance and beneficial aspects of Agricultural productivities in the communities and country as a whole.
According to the remarks by the Food and Agriculture Organization representative, (FAO), Jimi Saelea speaking on behalf of the FAO Director-General, he would like to commend the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock for having accomplished a historic milestone In the development of the ten years Agriculture Sector Growth Investment Plan.
“This world food day, we pay tribute to the food heroes including our rural women, farmers, fishers, foresters, food processors, market vendors, and the backyard gardeners who ensure we had food to eat” Saelea stated.
He also calls on the public to become a food hero ourselves to continue transforming the ways in which food was produced, processed, stored, distributed, and consumed.
“A global call has been made for young people to harness their creativity and energy to transform the food system. Locally, there was a concern that current farmers were getting old and young people were not interested in farming” He said
Jimi said that locally, we can all play our parts ensuring a viable agri-food system for now and the future.
“Being a farmer producer, marketing agents, extension agent, market transporter market vendor, food processors, exporter, government agencies, and consumers, we were all partners in the agri-food system” Jimi added.
“FAO was pleased to have collaboration in these significant achievements with MAL and IFAD in putting the plan together,” Saelea said
“This was a significant achievement for the government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and other agriculture sectors, more so for the country. The Agri-food system in the country will now have a clear plan with which development partners and others may wish to invest”
Meanwhile, the celebration began with a parade on Tuesday 19th October 2021 morning and the celebrations and showcasing of food product was completed on Thursday 21st October 2021.
