Quetta October 16: A ceremony was held at Serena Hotel, Qilla Saifullah Hall to mark World Food Day 2017 to highlight the theme “Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development.”
Mr. Masood Baloch , DG Agriculture Government of Balochistan was the chief guest at the ceremony.
Secretary Agriculture and Cooperative of the Government of Balochistan, Mr. Ahmed Raza Khan, on the occasion of World Food Day 2017 said:
“Pakistan has been cooperating with the United Nations for 70 years, which is expressed by the special logo on all the banners. But also that Pakistan, being an Agriculture country, sought membership with the Food and Agriculture Organization soon after our independence in the year 1948, which confirms the importance of FAO to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
Mr. Marcel Stallen, Chief Technical Advisor FAO and project manager Balochistan addressed the ceremony and said:
“Some of the figures published in the “2017 State of Food Insecurity and Nutrition in the World report” are alarming. In Balochistan one out of two children appears to be affected by insufficient and unbalanced food in the first 2 years, resulting in stunted growth. Effective and urgent actions are required.
For the last couple of years, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, together with the Department of Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Government of Balochistan has piloted with Integrated Homestead gardens (also named Kitchen Gardens) at a small scale. However for real impact and changing traditional food habits of people, effective nutrition messages should be developed and disseminated in combination with training the women in the villages how to start and operate their own kitchen garden.
For this purpose FAO, the Balochistan Nutrition Programme for Mothers and Children (BNPMC, P&D), Civil Society Organizations and the line Departments in Balochistan have joined hands and these partners will deliver their combined messages in the villages in the coming years. This integrated approach is expected to effectively change food habits of the population and improve the nutritional status, because recommendations on fruit, vegetables and milk intake are combined with the means and tools to produce these products themselves.
FAO wants to eradicate hunger and improve food security in Balochistan in the coming years”
He also read out a message from Mr. Jose Graziano da Silva, Director General FAO.
Mr. Yasir Haleem OIC WFP read the message from the Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley, who said that today we made an impassioned plea for peace amid mounting evidence of the links between conflict, migration and rising hunger. Ten out of 13 of the World Food Programme’s largest food assistance operations are driven by conflict, and as we mark World Food Day today, we think of the people everywhere who dream of peace and again being able to share a family meal at home
World Food Day 2017 was supported by Serena Hotels and Mr. Rashid Uddin, General Manager Serena Hotel Quetta was also present.