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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

SPC Committee of Representatives of Governments to endorse prioritising food security in the region

The 38th meeting of SPC’s Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA) will continue to deliberate on food security issues in the region before endorsing recommendations on a multi-sectoral approach to tackling the issue.

This follows SPC’s Land Resources Division director, Aleki Sisifa’s presentation that food security remains a pressing issue and challenge in the Pacific.

Mr Sisifa called on governments to boost local production of traditional food, strengthen infrastructure to facilitate local food production, provide an environment that will promote economic growth and private sector development, and diversify production systems.

“This is not a matter of choice and governments must identify the challenges and involve everyone in addressing climate change, particularly women and young people,” Mr Sisifa said.

Mr Sisifa said that awareness of the importance of good nutrition and links between local production and health must be undertaken.

“The implications of inaction will mean worsening health outcomes, higher import bills, higher expenditure on treating non communicable diseases,” Mr Sisifa said.

The CRGA will relook at the policy paper and endorse the recommendations that were made at the recent Heads of Agriculture and Forestry meeting in Samoa.

Recommendations included the need to recognise the importance of a multi-sectoral approach and encourage a ‘whole of society’ and ‘whole of government’ approach to dealing with food security; supporting SPC’s work in assisting members to address the food security challenges they face across a number of sectors; and encourage development partners to provide additional support to strengthen the capacity of SPC programmes to assist members to achieve food security

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on World Food Security defines food security as the ability of all people at all times to have both the physical and economic access to the basic food they need.

Source: SPC

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