By Gideon D. Ebbah, GNA
Domeabra (Ash), Oct. 24, GNA – Ghanaians ought to be out to be part of a global effort geared towards avoiding food wastage, Mr. Samuel Owusu Takyi, the Executive Director of the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA), has observed.
This could be done by augmenting efforts at addressing post- harvest losses, enhancing the food value addition chain - food preservation and individual attitudinal change, among other pragmatic steps, to help ensure food security, curb hunger and promote sustainable agriculture and rural development.
Alluding to a recent Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) report, he said around 1.3 billion tons of food was lost or wasted, around the globe annually, representing one-third of all the food produced for human consumption.
Mr Takyi was speaking at a public lecture held on the campus of KITA at Domeabra in the Ejisu Municipality, as part of activities marking this year’s World Food Day celebration.
“It was a worrying irony that regardless of the world’s food production levels, which are on record to be more than enough, hunger is still one of the most pressing and urgent development challenges facing nations, especially, the underdeveloped and developing,” he added.
The public lecture, which brought together staff and students of the School as well as other members of the public, was held under worldwide theme, ‘‘working for a zero hunger world, call to action. Achieving the SDG 2’’.
Mr. Takyi asked that Ghanaians changed their attitudes both at home or public functions where food is served, by requesting or serving themselves with the quantity of food they could consume to avoid waste.
“Let’s also make it a home management practice not to throw away food leftovers, but preserve them by either freezing to be reheated for later use, or use them as simple recipes in another meal,” he added.
Mr. Takyi also noted that KITA was committed to awareness creation and actions that promoted and ensured food security, nutritious diet and sustainable agriculture.
Mr. Abdul-Razak Salifu, the President of the Student Representative Council (SRC)of KITA, encouraged the youth to support and participate in the process of ending and avoiding food wastage in the country and the world at large.
GNA
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