The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) has called for renewed commitment among stakeholders towards the attainment of food security in the country as Ghana joins the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s World Food Day today.
A statement issued by the company in Accra urged stakeholders to re-affirm what it called the non-negotiable duty to prevent hunger, diseases and poverty arising out of food shortages or the total absence of same.
World Food Day is commemorated around the world on October 16, every year to promote global awareness of hunger and also highlight the need for member countries of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to prioritise and ensure food security.
Ghana is, however, commemorating the day today with a flag-raising ceremony at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The theme for this year’s commemoration is: “Our actions are our future — Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”.
The commemoration will focus on sustainable food security strategies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resolve
The NAFCO statement said even though the government had done commendably well to ensure food production and availability through strategic interventions, such as Planting for Food and Jobs, the fertiliser subsidy, as well as increased funding towards facilitating the storage, processing and marketing of same, it was important to strengthen the country’s resolve to ensure adequate food security on a long-term basis.
It also said adequate funding was required to ensure the continued existence and operationalisation of strategic institutions set up to work towards the attainment of food security goals.
Ranking
The statement comes days after the release of the latest Global Food Security Index published by the London-based The Economist Magazine last Tuesday, which placed Ghana 82nd out of 113 countries.
The annual index ranks countries based on affordability, availability, as well as quality and safety of food.
Ghana scored an overall mark of 52 points out of 100.
On availability of food, Ghana scored 48.6 out of 100, while on affordability, it scored 60 out of 100.
Countries such as Sri Lanka, Mali and Pakistan performed better than Ghana.
Ireland was declared the world’s most food secure country, followed by Austria and the UK.
On the African continent, Ghana placed fourth on the ranking, out of 28 countries.
Source: graphic.com.gh
