EDITORIAL: WE HAIL FAO FOR ‘WORLD FOOD DAY’ PROGRAMMES
The state of Tanzania’s food security and nutrition levels is a matter of grave concern not only for the government and its partners-in-development at the local and international levels.
It is also a matter of concern for Tanzanian communities at large.
‘Food security’ is generally defined as “the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food… a situation that has declined dramatically in many developing countries. At the core of food security is access to healthy food and optimal nutrition for all…”
In its 2019 report titled ‘The United Republic of Tanzania: Resilience Strategy 2019–2022,’ the Rome, Italy-based Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations categorically stated that Agriculture is the backbone of Tanzania’s economy.
The sector contributes up to about 30 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) – even as it supports roughly 80 percent of rural livelihoods, and produces about 95 percent of the country’s food requirements.
However, small-scale production, which engages the majority of farmers and pastoralists, is highly vulnerable to recurring crises, both natural (mostly climate-and pests-related crises) and man-made crises resulting from faulty human activities.
That is partly why FAO smartly stepped in the breach, and developed a strategy to enhance Tanzania’s food security on a sustainable basis. According to FAO, the strategy “is fully aligned with the FAO Country Programming Framework (CPF, 2017–2020) for Tanzania – and which is aligned with the Tanzania government’s priorities and sectoral strategies, as well as with the UN Development Assistance Plan 2016–2021”.
There indeed is much more than that. But, suffice it here to recall that FAO proclaimed October 16 World Food Day (WFD) to commemorate its founding date in 1945 – and also (as the WFD-2021 theme says) to ensure “Safe food NOW for a healthy TOMORROW”.
“Kudos, FAO,” we heartily say as we mark World Food Day today.
GET READY FOR C’WEALTH GAMES
Tanzania will be among the 72 countries with a total of 5,054 athletes who will compete in the ‘XXII Commonwealth Games’ in Birmingham, England.
Scheduled for July 28 to August 8 next year, the quadrennial Games feature 283 events in 20 different sports.
In that regard, Athletics Tanzania (AT) have announced 30 runners for the provisional national squad for the Games – also known as ‘Birmingham 2022.’
However, what with only about nine months left to the Games, competitors in amateur boxing, swimming, judo and other sports are yet to be selected.
Arguably, Tanzania still has enough time to prepare for the Games. But, ideally, preparations should start soon after the last Games end.
We, therefore, take this opportunity to alert our sports bodies to start preparations for succeeding Games immediately in the wake of the last ones… And, the earlier, the better.
As sages have said down the ages: it is the early bird that catches the proverbial worm.
Tanzania has won six gold, six silver and nine bronze medals in past Games – with the last ones won in the 2006 Games: a gold, won by Samson Ramadhani in the Men’s Marathon, and a bronze won by Fabiano Naasi in the Men’s 10,000 metres race.
