Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

This member contributed to:

    • Woman and food security

      Food Security depends on some basic pillars like agricultural production, economics and nutritional status for its complement. The involvement of women dates since ancient agriculture before the industrial revolution. However there are enormous constraints like social, cultural and economic aspects.

      Statistics shows that in a region like Sub-Saharan Africa, 80% women are involved in processing food crops, providing household water and fuelwood and about 90% are involved in hoeing and weeding of farmland. Notwithstanding the good gender agricultural policies and programmes that are in place, the strong cultural stigma of women's land rights, educational level and access to agro-credit, still stand as great limiting factors.

      However, what do policy makers do with this cultural stigma of women having certain rights and access?

      Kind Regards 

      NJABE

      Yaounde- Cameroon​

    • Dear moderators,

      nutrition in a global perspective affects both the producer and the consumer, the rich and the poor, either in the form of over nutrition or under nutrition. Agriculture is for sure our number one concern with respect to nutrition, but the whole supply chain from farms to consumers is very complex.

      If improving economy of the society is considered the backbone of Agriculture, then government and organizations at regional and country levels should make policies, not just for agricultural high yields but also to protect the nutritional content and value of the produce.

      The high yields (quantity) of produce should not be at the expense of nutritional quality. Many farmers backup their yield with application of chemical fertilizers, which does not only affect human health but also our environment. Studies and research centers should be set up to analyze and monitor the application of chemical fertilizers with respect to nutritional content and safety.

      At this time where food borne illness is rapidly increasing, the whole food chain should be covered using a traceability system monitored by well trained experts, to track the movement of produce and food product from farm to consumer´s hand.

      Therefore, intervention programmes which support and include both the producers and consumers should be setup from production, transportation and storage, to cover both urban and rural regions.

      Best regards

      Elvis NJABE