CARIRI celebrates World Food Day

What is World Food Day?

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) celebrates World Food Day to commemorate the founding of the organisation in 1945. Events are organised in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.

World Food Day is a chance to show the FAO’s commitment to achieving Zero Hunger by 2030.

It’s also a day to celebrate the progress we made towards reaching #ZeroHunger. #ZeroHunger is important because the right to food is a basic human right. Additionally, investing in sustainable food systems and rural development means addressing some of the major global challenges - from feeding the world’s growing population to protecting the global climate, and tackling some of the root causes of migration and displacement.

The theme for this year is: Change the future of Migration: Invest in Food Security and Rural Development

The world is on the move. Hunger, poverty, and an increase in extreme weather events linked to climate change are important factors contributing to the challenges faced by countries. Three-quarters of the extreme poor base their livelihoods on agriculture or other rural activities. Creating conditions that allow rural people, especially youth, to have more resilient livelihoods, is a crucial component of any successful country.

Rural development can address factors that compel people to move by creating business opportunities and jobs for young people that are not only crop-based (such as small dairy or poultry production, food processing or horticulture enterprises). It can also lead to increased food security, more resilient livelihoods, better access to social protection, and reduced conflict over natural resources and solutions to environmental degradation and climate change.

Agriculture and rural development can address issues such as rural poverty, food insecurity, inequality, unemployment and natural resource depletion. Rural poor, especially small holder family farmers face considerable difficulties in accessing financial support, services, technologies and markets which would allow them to improve the productivity of their natural resources and labour. This can lead to unstable incomes, poor safety and health conditions, gender inequality in pay and opportunities and limited social protection. These issues, combined with restricted access to training, financial and extension services and processing facilities can make migrating to a more urbanised area and choosing a more conventional career choice a much more attractive prospect.

What is CARIRI doing?

As part of CARIRI’s mandate to develop the agro-based sector and to build capacity in the food and beverage sector we will be providing a platform for these issues to be addressed at our World Food Day TT 2017, on September 23, at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya.

By reaching out to different facets of society throughout Trinidad and Tobago we can garner interest under the umbrellas of rural development and food security to create to create a catalyst of Inclusive Innovation and Sustainable Growth. Investments in rural development can harness the development of Food Security and also build the resilience of communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

CARIRI is working with Government agencies, the private sector, civil society and local communities, in building Trinidad and Tobago’s capabilities with a thrust towards strengthening our food security.

Attendees include government ministries, State enterprises, food and beverage manufacturer, food equipment suppliers, food and beverage suppliers, food wholesalers and retailers. Everyone from producer to consumer has a role to play to ensure our food security. We welcome the food production chain – from farmers and manufacturers to vendors and consumers for handling and preparing food are welcome to attend.

How can you participate in CARIRI’s World Food Day TT 2017?

Poster Competition

“Hunger and food security is equally important for everyone, everywhere. Since the majority of the country’s population is young, it is important as well as challenging to engage youth in different social issues like, rural development, education, health, poverty, and food security.”

CARIRI’s World Food Day TT 2017 Poster Competition calls on children and teens from ages five -19 to harness and apply their creative instincts to express their ideas on our World Food Day 2017 theme. CARIRI believes creative artwork is powerful and can be as important as literacy. The poster competition is an avenue which can stimulate innovative thoughts and ideas of students throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

The poster competition also urges them to support the global fight to reach Zero Hunger – a world free of hunger and poverty. The fight for Zero Hunger is now, and our younger generation plays a crucial role in this. The more we engage them in the dialogue surrounding their future and stimulate their thoughts and opinions, the more we can prepare them to take informed decisions and actions to contribute to a more sustainable and fairer world.

The competition is open to students throughout the country with all skill levels. Posters can be drawn, painted or digitally designed and uploaded to our World Food Day TT website.

Three winners in each age category will be selected by our jury. The results will be announced on the day of our World Food Day TT 2017 celebrations at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya. All final participants will have the ability to showcase their final pieces at our exhibition.

The deadline for entries is September 18.

Food Safety Champion Competition

Do you consider yourself a food safety expert? Then come test your knowledge at CARIRI’s Food Safety Champion

CARIRI’s Caribbean Food Safety Centre (CFSC) is hosting CARIRI’s Food Safety Champion 2017 as an opportunity for companies, regardless of size, to showcase their knowledge of food safety. Food safety is essential to good nutrition and health, which are vital to sustainable development. Food safety is a shared responsibility. Food can become contaminated at any point during production, distribution and preparation. Everyone along the production chain, from producer to consumer, has a role to play to ensure the food we eat does not cause diseases. Being a Food Safety Champion is everyone’s responsibility.

Some of our sponsors for World Food Day include Agricultural Development Bank, Carib Brewery, Caribbean Airlines, Chuck E. Cheese’s, Magdalena Grand Hotel, Mario's Pizzeria, Movie Towne, National Flour Mills, Charles Chocolates, Charrans Book Stores Chaguanas, Marilisa Farms and Blue Waters Limited. Our exhibitors include EXIMBANK, RODCO Home Essentials, Aurora Bitayson Limited, Arawak, Eco Truffles, Caribbean Concoctions, De Jeunesse Bath and Body, King's Specialty, Unit Trust Corporation, Alliance of Rural Communities and many more.

There will also be food trucks present on the day. For the children there will be bouncy castles, face painting and many more activities, including a visit from Chuck E. Cheese’s.

For more information on CARIRI’s World Food Day contact:

Tel: 299-0210 ext. 5687/ 5679/5048.

Email: jramoutar@cariri.com

Website: http://cariri.com/wfdtt/