805 million do not have enough food

There are about 805 million people around the world who do not have enough to eat on a daily basis, a local academic said here Thursday, as the world marked World Food Day. Mirza Baig, a Canadian professor at King Saud University's (KSU) college of food and agricultural sciences, said more needs to be done to ensure food security for these people. At an event at KSU on Thursday, Baig said family farmers play a crucial role in the world's socio-economic development and environmental protection. “However, serious challenges faced by family farmers could be addressed through continued education and innovations.” Baig said 63 developing countries are still struggling to fight against hunger and chronic undernourishment. “To win the war against hunger we need political commitment, a holistic approach, social participation and family farming,” he said. He said the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marks World Food Day each year on Oct. 16, the day on which the organization was founded in 1945. The UN General Assembly has designated 2014 “International Year of Family Farming.” The FAO theme this year is “Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth,” focusing on the importance of family farming and those running smallholdings, in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, particularly in rural areas. Baig said the facts presented in the FAO’s annual State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) report clearly justify the emphasis being placed on family farming. He said about 500 million of the world’s 570 million farms are run by families. As a sector, family farms remain the world’s largest employers. In addition, they also supply more than 80 percent of the world’s food in terms of value, and are often the main producers of fresh food, particularly dairy, poultry and livestock. In the Kingdom, the government has placed restrictions on the production of high delta crops that use lots of water. In addition, green house production systems are becoming popular. In this situation, the Kingdom is making a concerted effort to support farmers, including creating awareness among young people of the benefits of working in the industry. This includes training programs that can allow them to tap into their entrepreneurial potential, he said. Arab News