World Food Day: UN and Govt say Social Protection plays key role

World Food Day: UN and Government say Social Protection plays key role in promoting Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition and for Breaking Rural Poverty Cycle

HARARE  - The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, and the United Nations - led by FAO and WFP - are today marking World Food Day at Gwebi College of Agriculture by highlighting the importance social protection for the promotion of agriculture, food security and nutrition and breaking the rural poverty cycle.

The 2015 World Food Day marked globally under the theme - Social Protection in Agriculture, Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty - draws attention to the role that social protection plays for improved agriculture, food security, nutrition and eradicating hunger and poverty. Equally, it highlights the centrality agriculture and social protection play in managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, particularly in rural areas.

"The Government of Zimbabwe recognises the importance of social protection and has instituted measures to ensure that people are protected from any form of shock. This is well captured in our economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASSET). There is congruence between Food Security and Nutrition as well as the Social Services and Poverty Eradication clusters as stated in the ZIMASSET document, and the theme for this year's World Food Day. This is not a coincidence but an acknowledgement that food security, nutrition and social protection are important," said the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development

There is evidence that social protection programmes successfully reduce hunger and poverty. In 2013 alone, such measures lifted around 150 million people out of extreme poverty globally. These programmes do more than just cover shortfalls in income. They are not just a hand-out that allows people to simply tread water. Rather, they are a hand-up that can put them on a fast-track to self-reliance.

"By enhancing income opportunities for the rural people through such programmes, we are sowing a seed which, when nurtured well, will result in better living conditions and breaking rural poverty. As FAO, we recognise the importance of social protection in enhancing agricultural development and food and nutrition security. Social protection interventions targeted to the most vulnerable or otherwise marginalized populations results in their more active participation in economic activity. FAO is committed to working with partners to improve food security, and ending hunger and malnutrition." said Phiri.

By linking agriculture and social protection to the fight to break rural poverty, this year's World Food Day, has brought to the attention of global leaders, opinion leaders and policy makers the importance of providing safety nets for the vulnerable groups. These safety nets are a strong foundation on which sustainable development may be premised and this enhances opportunities for the rural people, said FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Southern Africa, David Phiri.

"The essence of ending rural poverty, lies in the commitments and partnerships between government and development partners, which is reflected in our joint commemoration" says WFP Country Director, Mr. Eddie Rowe.

"National social protection systems and safety nets offer an opportunity to address food security and nutrition issues at commensurate scale, as they are vehicles for achieving zero hunger".

The World Food Day is observed annually on 16 October, the anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The main objective of the day is to heighten public awareness of the nature and dimensions of the long-term world food challenges, and to develop further national and international solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.