Africa-Press – Cape verde. Today marks World Food Day. This year, the anniversary is celebrated in a “very critical” scenario, taking into account the crises that plague the world, international tensions and climate change with negative impacts on food and nutrition security. In Cape Verde, about 46 thousand families are in a situation of food insecurity.
In Cape Verde, the situation is no less dramatic since, as the head of the National Food and Nutrition Security Service (SNSAN), Rosa Semedo, mentioned by Inforpress, the latest data from July and August indicate that about 46 thousand families were in a situation of food insecurity.
“Cape Verde, in previous years, had a positive assessment of the food security situation, but with the pandemic the situation has worsened and according to the latest data we have, from 2022, the situation of the state of food security, which is evaluated through the harmonized framework of food security, shows that in the months of July and August about 9.5% of the population was in a situation of food crisis, corresponding to 46 thousand people”, said Rosa Semedo.
For this official, the situation recorded has a lot to do with the increase in the prices of basic foodstuffs due to the covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the severe drought that has affected the country in the last five years, thus making access difficult. to products.
Rosa Semedo noted that, with the increase in product prices, purchasing power was reduced, so she considered that “it is necessary to raise awareness about food waste, but also investments in terms of local production and consumption”.
Measures “are never enough”
The Government has implemented measures to minimize the impact of these crises, highlighting, among them, the compensation to companies that import food so that the market price does not increase in 2020.
However, Rosa Semedo acknowledged that measures are never enough to eliminate food insecurity, because, as she explained, Cape Verde continues to have vulnerable families. In this sense, she appealed to avoid waste, to adopt a healthier diet and not to pollute the environment.
Among the challenges of food security in Cape Verde, the official highlighted production at the national level, with a view to reducing dependence on imports, promoting food and nutrition education and increasing the level of family income.
Survey on food vulnerability in November
For a better understanding of the real situation of Cape Verdean families in terms of food security, the executive secretary of the National Food and Nutrition Security Service (SNSAN) announced that the annual survey on the food and nutritional vulnerability of Cape Verdean families will be carried out from the 1st to the 20th of November, at national level.
“This year, in November, we are preparing a national survey on the food and nutrition vulnerability of families. This survey will be financed by the World Bank and is being conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in partnership with the National Institute of Statistics and the Ministry of Health”, he added.
The aforementioned survey will assess the situation of families, the food consumption of Cape Verdeans, the nutritional situation of children under five and the nutritional situation of women of reproductive age, he said.
Situation of women of reproductive age
“For the first time, we will assess the situation of women of reproductive age and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. We have the indicator that is very important for non-communicable chronic diseases and we hope to count on everyone’s collaboration”, she reinforced.
Thus, from November 1st to 20th, more than a hundred technicians who were hired to work on this survey will be in all municipalities, with all the logistical conditions already created, he guarantees.
ephemeris
World Food Day is celebrated on October 16 in different parts of the world. The date was implemented to warn about the importance of healthy, affordable and quality food, called “Food and Nutrition Security”.
The event was created to mark the foundation of the “United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization” (FAO-Food and Agriculture Organization), founded in 1945.
Its main objective is to raise the world’s nutrition levels. Established by the UN in 1979, World Food Day has taken place in over 150 countries worldwide since 1981.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
