Food Day-------The participants at the walk Photo Victor A. Buxton
The 39th World Food Day celebration was observed in Accra on Saturday, with a call for action across sectors to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and accessible to all.
Organised by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) and Amen Amen Institute (AAI) a non-governmental organisation this year’s celebration was themed; “Our actions are our future, healthy diets for A#ZEROHUNGERWORLD.”
As part of activities for this year’s celebration, stakeholders in the sector organised a float to help create awareness on the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets.
It was also celebrated towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which is to achieve zero hunger by 2030.
During the float, the participants held placards with the inscription, “Use your time to fight hunger,” “Unhealthy diets kills,” “Your choice of diet your life,” “Food comes first,” “Your future your health,” “For long life eat well, eat right, zero hunger.”
Mr Gilbert Xorlanyo Ampeh, Deputy Director Finance and Administration at MOFA, who spoke on behalf of the sector Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said achieving zero hunger was not only about addressing hunger but also nourishing people.
To achieve goal 2 of the SDG, he noted that there was the need to maintain healthy diet that met the nutritional needs of individuals by providing sufficient, safe, nutritious and diverse foods to lead an active life and reduce the risk of disease.
He explained that educating the citizenry was paramount to achieving SDG goal 2 adding that in line with this, the team would embark on an educational tour to schools across the country to educate them on the importance of maintaining healthy diets.
On his part, Amen Amenreynolds Amen, President and Founder AAI, said his outfit had partnered the agencies for 15 years to help create awareness on the dangers of malnutrition and support the less privileged.
He noted that a healthy nation propelled development saying “when the citizenry is malnourished it would bring down development.”
Additionally, Mr Amen mentioned that the AAI had donated some food items and an undisclosed amount of money to support the Dzorwulu Special School.
