The Amen Amen Institute, a non-governmental organization, in collaboration with the United Nations, organized a float on Saturday to commemorate this year’s World Food Day (WFD).
Participants included members from various parts of Accra, UN staff, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) officials, and traditional leaders.
The event aimed to raise awareness among farmers and emphasize the importance of promoting local food production to achieve food security.
The procession began at Mantse Agbonaa in James Town, proceeding along Professor John Evans Atta Mills High Street to the forecourt of MoFA, ahead of the official commemoration on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
In an interview on behalf of Mr. Amen Amenreynolds Amen, the Founding President of the Amen Amen Institute, Mr. Daniel Reynolds emphasized that food is the foremost security for human life.
He said that the Institute uses the annual WFD celebrations to raise awareness about food security.
WFD, observed on October 16 each year, aims to promote g
lobal awareness and action regarding hunger and the necessity of healthy diets for all.
Instituted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN in 1979, this year’s 44th edition will focus on the theme: ‘Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future.’
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), approximately 828 million people go to bed hungry each night, while over 2.8 billion individuals worldwide cannot afford a healthy diet.
The WFP reports that around 733 million people are experiencing hunger due to repeated weather shocks, conflicts, economic downturns, inequality, and the impacts of the pandemic.
Furthermore, the number of people facing acute food insecurity has increased dramatically from 135 million to 345 million since 2019.
Alarmingly, 50 million people in 45 countries are on the brink of famine.
Mr. Reynolds stressed the need for a peaceful world, indicating that it was the only way investment in agriculture could be boosted and food security assured.
‘My message to hum
anity is that there should be peace in the world because with peace man can invest in agriculture and this will lead to food security,’ he emphasised.
Mr. Reynolds stated that as part of the Institute’s commitment to enhancing agricultural production, they donated GHS10,000 to the MoFA to support the celebrations and promote food security.
In addition to the monetary donation, the Institute also provided food items such as yam, cassava, and plantain to the Ministry for distribution to the Dzorwulu Special School.
He urged members of the Institute and Ghanaians to engage more in agriculture and contribute actively to the fight against world hunger. Mr. Gilbert Xorlanyo Ampeh, Deputy Director in charge of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), highlighted the ministry’s efforts to enhance food security through various initiatives.
These include constructing warehouses nationwide to manage food surpluses and ensure a constant food supply.
To promote year-round food produc
tion, Mr. Ampeh noted that the Ghana Irrigation Authority was building several irrigation dams.
He expressed the ministry’s concern regarding illegal mining activities, which had severely damaged farmlands and polluted water bodies across the country.
‘We are all concerned about the galamsey menace, but I think it affects us more because sometimes we send our produce out and they say there is a problem with our produce,’ he said.
Source: Ghana News Agency