World Food Day to be celebrated with new theme 'Investing in Agriculture for Food Security'

ISLAMABAD: The world Food day will be observed with a new theme `investing in Agriculture for Food Security` on 16th October.
The theme has been wisely selected by the Director General of Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations to mark the World Food Day of 2006. The theme has been selected in view of Agriculture importance in today`s modern industrialized world. According to FAO estimates at the onset of new millennium, some 2.57 billion people depended on agriculture for their livelihoods, representing 42 percent of the entire human race. Looking at the global investment scenario, it can be noticed that despite the growing need, the foreign and agriculture aid for agriculture and rural development has continued to decline.
Over the past 20 years it has been fallen dramatically from US $ 9 billion per year in 1980S to less than US $ 5 billion in late 1990s. And yet an estimated 854 million people around the world remain under nourished.
The global agriculture investment scenario needs to be reversed for improving the pace of development of the sector and betterment of poor people lining in rural areas. All these efforts and investment will help reduce poverty in rural areas and will also make agriculture more competitive in the international market. World food day provides an opportunity at local, national and international level to renew our commitment for the development of agriculture. It also enhances solidarity among nations.
The role of FAO during lat several decades in enhancing the intercultural dialogue has been pivotal thus deserves great appreciations.