Agriculture Ministry, FAO and WFP mark World Food Day

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) joined hands with the Ministry of Agriculture to mark World Food Day in Sri Lanka last week at the BMICH.

The official ceremony was inaugurated under the patronage of Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The seminar covered key messages from FAO Representative Beth S. Crawford and WFP Deputy Country Director Mads Lofvall on behalf of Country Director Ismail Omer and other high-level Government officials.

Technical presentations on the 2013 theme and dance performances added further interest and diversity to the event.

Every year on October 16, the World Food Day is observed around the world to celebrate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as well as to increase awareness and focus attention on topical issues concerning the world's food supply. 'Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition' was the focus in 2013.

The official World Food Day theme, announced at the start of every year by the FAO, focuses on the Day's observances and helps increase understanding of problems and possible solutions in the drive to end hunger.

Almost 870 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished. Unsustainable models of development are degrading the natural environment, threatening ecosystems and biodiversity that will be needed for the future food supply.

A food system is made up of the environment, people, institutions and processes by which agricultural products are produced, processed and brought to consumers.

Every aspect of the food system has an effect on the final availability and accessibility of diverse, nutritious foods - and therefore on the consumers' ability to choose healthy diets.

What is more, policies and interventions on food systems are rarely designed with nutrition as their primary objective.