Muscat: The Sultanate, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, on Sunday marked World Food Day, which falls on October 16th every year.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr Saud bin Hamoud al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources gave a speech in the virtual ceremony, in which he said, “The Covid-19 pandemic has imposed fundamental changes in the daily life of all peoples of the world. The pandemic has resulted in unprecedented challenges in the health system and a major decline in economic activities, in addition to impacts on the system of food production and its supply chains that led to financial losses for food producers and instability in the operations of food processing chains, ensued by a scarcity in the provision of some food commodities and price fluctuations in the markets."
The Minister also praised in his speech the efforts made by the United Nations World Food Program in combating hunger, its distinguished contribution to peace stability and conflict resolution between peoples, and its pioneering role in preventing the use of hunger as a weapon in conflicts and wars, which culminated in the awarding of the said program the Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2020.
For her part, Nora Ourabah Haddad, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in the Sultanate gave a speech in which she stated that FAO marks the World Food Day every year on October 16th since the establishment of the organization in 1945. She added," The World Food Day coincides this year with the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and FAO. It is celebrated under the theme" Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together."
It is worth noting that the celebration of World Food Day 2020 aims to raise awareness of the theme " Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together." It also aims directly at highlighting food options that improve health and the food system and maintain habits that support them and appreciate food and its producers. --ONA
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