Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Thursday launched the national food and nutrition security policy in the Oshana region, with the aim of increasing investment in food and nutrition security.
In her statement availed to Nampa, the premier said food and nutrition are fundamental aspects of humanity, which is the reason why Government through the policy guarantees food security. Global emerging trends provide an impetus for new designs and implementation strategies for food and nutrition security programmes, she added.
‘There is also evidence that there are multiple factors that are responsible for malnutrition, which must be addressed by using a food systems approach involving multiple stakeholders. This year 2021, the United Nations hosted the global Food Systems Summit, which was preceded by the National Dialogue of Food Systems which provided an opportunity for a whole food system approach, and ensured that discussions extend to all aspects and balanced investment of resources throughout the value chain. From input supply, farm production, aggregation, processing, marketing to consumption,’ said Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
She added that through the food system approach which is also the scope for the policy, the focus is on all aspects of food, from preparation to consumption, noting that the policy brings all stakeholders together so that any constraints in the supply and demand are identified and solved.
‘I am, therefore, pleased that today here, we not only have the producers of food, but we also have processing entities that add value to such, we have distributors who are crucial in the movement of food from supply to demand, and we have the retailers and wholesalers and the ultimate consumers. The action steps in this policy takes into consideration the whole value chain of food systems,’ stated Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
She further added that the arid nature of the country requires optimal ways of utilising water to increase local production of food in order to lessen reliance on the importation of foods.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
