The current health crisis initiated by Coronavirus pandemic has made us all sit up and take note of the importance of maintaining our health. The need of consuming nutritious food got the long-due impetus and the problem of food scarcity got the attention it really needed. This year's World Food Day is devoted to highlight food and agriculture as a significant part of COVID-19 response.
Every year on
Oct 16th, World Food Day endeavours to promote food and preserve food
resources. In light of the current pandemic this year, FAO announced the day
will be celebrated with the theme - "Grow, nourish, sustain. Together. Our
actions are our future."
This theme is calling for global solidarity to help all populations, and especially the most vulnerable, to recover from the crisis, and to make food systems more resilient and robust so they can withstand increasing volatility and climate shocks, deliver affordable and sustainable healthy diets for all, and decent livelihoods for food system workers. with latest technology we require improved social protection schemes and new opportunities through digitalization and e-commerce, but also more sustainable agricultural practices that preserve the Earth's natural resources, our health, and the climate.
Grow, Nourish,
Sustain!
The COVID-19
global health crisis has been a time to reflect on things we truly cherish our most basic needs and this uncertain times have made many of us rekindle our
appreciation for a thing that some take for granted and many go without: food.
Food is the
essence of life and the bedrock of our cultures and communities.
In a moment like
this, it is more important than ever to recognise the need to support our food
heroes - farmers and workers throughout the food system - who are making sure
that food makes its way from farm to fork even amid disruptions as
unprecedented as the current COVID-19 crisis.
Simple things we can consider in supporting them:
CHOOSE LOCAL
Whenever you
can, support food heroes by buying locally grown fresh food, such as from a
farmers’ market in your community. In doing so, you are helping smallholder
farmers that produced the food, your local economy and you are encouraging crop
diversity.
CHOOSE SEASONAL
When food is out of season in one part of the world it has to be imported and
travel a long way before it arrives at your local market. Eating seasonal food
is more tastier and more nutritious.
GROW FOOD AT
HOME
If you have a
green space at home, access to a garden, or a balcony with space for plant
pots, you can learn how to grow your own fruits, vegetables and herbs. You’ll
learn a lot about how food is produced and grow your appreciation for all the
work that goes into cultivating produce.
RESPECT FOOD AND
FOOD HEROES
Food loss and waste can occur throughout the food system, once it arrives at your table – you can play your part! Learning how to store uneaten food properly for another day’s meal is one way to avoid wasting perfectly good food.
CHOOSE HEALTHY
AND DIVERSE
A healthy diet
contributes to a healthy life. When we choose to eat diverse foods, we
encourage a variety of foods to be produced. This is not only healthier for our
bodies, but heathier for soils and our environment because a diverse diet
favours biodiversity!
INSPIRE AND INFLUENCE POSITIVE WILL
You can use your social media platform to promote your native and/ or innovative cuisine, healthy eating and buying habits.
SUPPORT FOOD-RELATED BUSINESSES AND RETAILERS
Everyone can be an activist and put pressure on governments, private sector businesses and decision-makers to transform our food systems by making healthy food options more enticing, available and accessible; providing decent employment and protection; and sharing innovative technologies.
SUPPORT & JOIN THE INITIATIVES
Anyone can be an ally to food heroes. Look for volunteer opportunities at your local farms or community kitchen or adopt a farmer- buy them their supplies, help them make value added products out of their produces and help them in fetching a good market. It’s a great way to be involved in collective action.
Our actions are our future!
We all have a role to play, from increasing the overall demand for nutritious food by choosing healthy, to not letting sustainable habits fall by the wayside, despite these uncertain times. It’s also important to remember that the world already produces enough food to feed everyone, but a huge portion is wasted and ends up in landfills. This has to change. Our everyday actions can make an impact..
Now go to TAKE ACTION to support small farmers.
Happy World Food
Day!
"We don’t waste
food because we know reliable food is very precious."
MJ
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