FAO celebrated it’s 29th Observance of World Food Day on 16th October 2009 at the Institute of Post Harvest Technology (IPHT). This marked the 64th Anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
The World Food Day theme for 2009 is “Achieving Food Security in Times of Crisis”. This theme aims to remind the citizens of the countries that during this global economic crisis, the small-scale farmers of the world, who represent 70% of the world’s hungry people, are gravely affected, in the wake of the surge in food and fuel prices in 2007–2008. With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger. Investments in agriculture are needed more than ever before to ensure food security for all.
The main theme function of the World Food Day in Sri Lanka was organised in Anuradhapura on 16th October, 2009 at the Institute of Post Harvest Technology (IPHT) under the distinguished patronage of Hon. Minister of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services, Maithripala Sirisena. The function was attended by over 1,500 people including Cabinet Ministers, the Chief Minister of the North Central Province, Ministers of the Provincial Council, other high level Government officials, residents and farmers of Anuradhapura. Mr. Patrick T. Evans, the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, quoting the FAO Director General’s ‘World Food Day Message for 2009’, reiterated in his speech, the need of taking urgent and coordinated action to combat the negative impacts of a weakened global economy on the food production and food availability.
This year’s event was also participated by the UNDP Poverty Theme Group in celebrating the ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ programme at the same venue. Mr. Mohan Samaranayake, National Information Officer of the United Nations, Sri Lanka delivered a speech on the status of the world poverty and the impact of the global economic crisis on the poorest nations.