Written by Nadine Sanchara
AS Guyana joins the rest of the world in observing World Food Day today, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has sent a strong message that the consequences of hunger and malnutrition are not inevitable.

The minister was at the time addressing a gathering at the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) at Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara yesterday where an event was held in observance of World Food Day since Guyana is observing a national holiday today for the Islamic festival Eid-ul-Adha.

World Food Day is celebrated on October 16 every year and this year it is being observed under the theme, “Sustainable food systems for food security and nutrition.”
Ramsammy noted that the human population has proven that as it increases the capacity to produce food increases as well.
He pointed out that the world’s population is now seven billion and is expected to increase to 9.2 billion by 2050. However, he stressed that there is enough food being produced in the world at present to feed its entire population. According to him, this demonstrates that better systems need to be put in place to provide easier access to food.

As such, Ramsammy said that the theme for World Food Day that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) has coined is appropriate since it focuses on creating systems for food security and nutrition.

NEED FOR BETTER SYSTEMS
“If we had better systems we would make sure that no one goes hungry…we should take it as our moral responsibility, as people and as nations, to ensure that we put the systems in place that at the very least would ensure that no one goes hungry,” he asserted.
The minister further stated that the “social safety nets” must be created to ensure that persons living in vulnerable circumstances also have adequate access to food.

NUTRITIOUS FOODS
Moreover, he related that the challenge is more than just guaranteeing that everyone can consume an adequate amount of calories, but rather that every citizen consumes nutritious food that supports good health.
Ramsammy pointed out that while poor nutrition is not normally seen as a disease, it is the most prevalent disease in the world, noting that statistics generated by the FAO have shown that there are at present about 870 million people living in hunger without food.

The minister noted, though, that poor nutrition is experienced by both the poor and the wealthy. He explained that the poor experience poor nutrition by sometimes not having enough food, while the wealthy may exceed the recommended caloric intake.
He related that the average caloric intake in Guyana is just over 3,000, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended caloric intake is 2,200.
He further noted that every country in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), with the exception of Haiti, exceeds that recommended intake.
According to Ramsammy, while this should be a reason to celebrate, there are also reasons why it cannot be celebrated.
“We can’t celebrate the fact that in each of our countries we exceed the average daily caloric intake when in fact there are many among us who don’t have enough to eat,” he said.

BIOFUEL
The minister also pointed out that agriculture sectors around the world must now produce biofuel in order to counteract the negative impact of the depleting source of fossil fuel, and that in many countries, land once used for food production is being  used to produce biofuel.
However, he emphasised that while Guyana is committed to finding alternative sources of energy, one of which is the production of biofuel, he guarantees that no land for food production will be diverted to the production of biofuel.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of NAREI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth noted that yesterday’s event was focused on cassava, which he said is the third largest source of carbohydrate after corn and rice.
He stressed that cassava has an important role in income generation and in reducing the risk of food shortage and so it  has been identified by the Ministry of Agriculture for increased emphasis.
He noted that while there are several traditional ways to consume cassava, it is now being used in many new and innovative ways such as in the production of biofuel and beer. Additionally, he said that it can also be used in the production of animal feed, noting that currently Guyana imports some $1B in corn for the production of stockfeed.
Hence, if cassava can be used for that purpose, it can contribute to the reduction of the country’s food importation bill which has been a major concern of the government and the Agriculture Ministry in particular.
Homenauth pointed out that the Agriculture Ministry, through its various agencies including NAREI, is examining higher yielding varieties of cassava, while also looking at ways to reduce pests and increase mechanisation in order to improve production and productivity.
The message of the FAO’s Director General, José Graziano da Silva for World Food Day was read by FAO Country Representative Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul.
In his message, Graziano da Sila, noted that World Food Day commemorates the founding of FAO on October 16 in 1945.

According to him, it offers an opportunity each year for people all around the world, who are involved in the many diverse elements of the food system, to come together to reflect on the vital role that food plays and to consider how things can be done better.