18th October 2021

Ministry of Agriculture partners with Feed the Poor Ministry

By Ministry of Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture in Saint Lucia joined the Food and Agriculture Organization in the commemoration of World Food Day, 2021.

World Food Day is celebrated every year on October 16 in remembrance of the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UN-FAO) in 1945. The observance promotes worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all, through events and outreach activities that bring together governments, businesses, NGOs, and the general public.

To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development partnered with the Taiwan Embassy and ‘the Feed the Poor Ministry’ to donate 100 prepackaged meals to the less fortunate in the Castries vicinity. The Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Alfred Prospere, noted that while the agriculture industry in Saint Lucia is producing sufficient healthy foods to feed every Saint Lucian, affordability is an issue that has been magnified by the corona virus pandemic.

“This is not the case in Saint Lucia alone,” the minister said. “This is a global problem and one that we need to address. Food security is one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that countries like Saint Lucia signed on to. Therefore, we must make every effort to ensure that every single person in Saint Lucia has an opportunity to get at least one meal a day.”

The minister also expressed gratitude to the Government and people of Taiwan for the donation and expressed the intention to collaborate with other sector agencies to address food security in Saint Lucia.

The Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Saint Lucia, His Excellency Peter Chia-yen Chen, said: “Over the years, the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has supported agricultural cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture in Saint Lucia to help enhance local food security and promote local produce with projects that include increasing banana productivity and improving the supply chain of fruits and vegetables. Taiwan is committed to continue working with the Government of Saint Lucia to promote food security, and zero hunger, on its way to reach the United Nations sustainable development goals.”

The Parliamentary Representative for Castries Central, Hon. Richard Frederick, commended the CEO of Feed the Poor Ministry, Mr. Gaspard Henry, on the work he has done and continues to do for the less fortunate islandwide. He noted that World Food Day initiatives stress the need for every individual to be able to afford basic necessities such as food.

“It is the FAO’s objective to alleviate hunger across the globe by the year 2030. By that year—nine years from now—healthy food should be available and accessible to all,” he said.

World Food Day, 2021 was commemorated under the theme ‘Our Actions are Our Future - Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life.’ The Ministry of agriculture continues to encourage the public to consume healthier and safer foods.

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