On 16 October 2011 the world will celebrate the 31st celebration of World
Food Day. In the light of the current global food crisis and the famine
across the Horn of Africa this year¹s celebration takes on a special
significance.
World Food Day was proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO). It marks the date of the founding of FAO in
1945. The aim of the Day is to heighten public awareness of the world food
problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger,
malnutrition and poverty. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance
of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human
survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity" (resolution 35/70
of 5 December 1980).
Since 1981 World Food Day has been observed under various themes. Since 1983
an annual theme has been chosen in order to provide a common focus for WFD
activities. Several different types of activities are organized at local
and national levels:
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* Organization of agricultural fairs, exhibitions, and visits to farms
and/or farmers' markets
*
* Activities on the WFD theme by the National Committees, NGOs, and
community and farmers' organizations.
*
* Preparation and distribution of materials for education on development for
schools
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* Round-tables, workshops and symposia on the WFD theme
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* Official recognition for food producers through prizes and/or trophies
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* Distribution of food, money or agricultural inputs to needy persons and
groups
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* Initiation of new field projects related to food self-sufficiency
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* Training and support to individuals and groups in the preparation of
family or school-kitchen gardens
*
* Special, Government-issue, commemorative coins or stamps
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* Tree-planting ceremonies and related activities
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* Drawing and/or poster competitions, essay-writing contests, etc.
It has since been observed every year in more than 150 countries to:
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* heighten public awareness of the problem of hunger in the world;
*
* encourage attention to agricultural food production and to stimulate
national, bilateral, multilateral and non-governmental efforts to this end;
*
* promote the transfer of technologies to the Third World;
*
* strengthen international and national solidarity in the struggle against
hunger, malnutrition and poverty and draw attention to achievements in food
and agricultural development;
*
* encourage the participation of rural people, particularly women and the
least privileged categories, in decisions and activities influencing their
living conditions;
*
* encourage economic and technical cooperation among developing countries.
2011 Theme: Food prices - from crisis to stability
Price swings, upswings in particular, represent a major threat to food
security in developing countries. Hardest-hit are the poor. According to the
World Bank, in 2010-2011 rising food costs pushed nearly 70 million people
into extreme poverty.
³FOOD PRICES FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY² has been chosen as this year¹s
World Food Day theme to shed some light on this trend and what can be done
to mitigate its impact on the most vulnerable.
On World Food Day 2011, let us look seriously at what causes swings in food
prices, and do what needs to be done to reduce their impact on the weakest
members of global society.
Build-up to World Food Day 2011
As in the past Food Security Ghana (FSG) will fully support World Food Day
through various initiatives, including providing daily overviews of previous
programmes.
In addition FSG will be investigating critical issues relating to food
security on a global front, but also to food security in Ghana specifically.
Issues that will be investigated include:
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* The essence of food security and its implications on government policies;
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* Government policies and how it impacts on Ghanaians now and in the future;
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* Self-sufficiency or food availability - the issue of import policies;
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* Agriculture as basis for development and employment.
Food Security Ghana
http://foodsecurityghana.com/
info@foodsecurityghana.com
