IIMSAM pleads for unified strategy on world hunger and malnutrition issues while observing world food day

Doha/ October 16, 2009
IIMSAM Middle East Director & Goodwill Ambassador Dr. Naseer Homoud’ message on World Food Day. Dr. Naseer Homoud calls upon the world for unified approach for fighting world hunger amid this financial crisis ridden period.

In the contemporary world where 1.02 billion people are hungry and almost 16,000 children losing their battles to live every day, nothing can be more serious issue than to deal with world hunger. The pace with which the human civilization is developing is somewhat contradicting the its core and basic values- the right to feed is the most important right of every individual and the hunger ridden people are our fellow human being- at by this virtue they deserves to be fed under any adverse circumstances.

On the occasion of world food day which is marked every year on October 16, Dr. Naseer Homoud Goodwill Ambassador and Director of Middle East office for the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina against Malnutrition (IIMSAM), the Permanent Observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council while addressing the media said “Some billion peoples in the world suffer from chronic hunger and such large-scale hunger is not only unprecedented but also should be intolerable in our world of plenty. In a world in which enough food exists to feed every man, woman and child, we need to do far better with sincere and honest efforts be it politically, economically, scientifically or logistically”.

The theme of this year’s World Food Day is “Achieving Food Security in Times of Crisis”, which highlights the hazards of hunger amid the contemporary world already ridden by financial crunch and instability. At a time when the global economic crisis is on its crest, it is needed to ring alarming bell, that not every of our fellow beings are working in offices and factories. The crisis has reached the farms managed by marginalized section of the society and rural areas of the world, where 70 percent of the world’s hungry live and work and this situation is rather more catastrophic when we compare the availability of food and starvation of hunger ridden people. Dr. Naseer urged the world governments to develop fool proof strategies to fight this crisis or else “civil wars cannot be averted under these unbalanced distribution of food” Dr. Naseer said.

With the world sticking their eyes on global financial turmoil another aspect of this is being continuously overlooked and that remain hunger- which is killing a child every six second and affecting millions. To this context Dr. Naseer said “at a time when the world’s attention is driven by the financial crisis and governments are keen to overcome from this menace, it is urgently needed to focus today on the global hunger crisis, which is a daily crunch for families across the globe.“The current issues of food security demonstrate that agriculture needs more attention on the development agenda. For too long, the world has forgotten that if we equip farmers in the developing world with the inputs and knowledge they need, they can grow more,” said Dr. Naseer. “World Food Day is an important time to refocus the discussion of food security on the engine that drives that production - the farmer. “He further added.

In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food. Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness. “Providing the hungry people with bread is the dire need of the hour and modernization and development cannot be said to be truly achieved till we are able to feed the hunger ridden people. It is astonishing to note that at the time when we are dreaming of life on moon and mars we are unable to feed our fellow beings.”

Answering a question on impact of arms conflict on food security Dr. Naseer said “The overall impact is the disturbance of food production and normal economic activities by displacing rural populations within a country and across borders. At the household level, the displaced are no longer able to produce for themselves and their families and therefore become totally dependent on food assistance or become malnourished and eventually die of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition” he further went to stress that “global peace is one of the major prerequisites for achieving the target to feed the hungry peoples”.

Speaking on the methodology of fighting world hunger and undernourishment related issues Dr. Naseer said “efforts must be compartmentalized from all corners to render support for the organizations working for fighting these hazards, NGO’s and IGO’s should be provided with support from governments, related autonomous organizations as well as from individuals since without involving common people in such project success cannot be targeted”. Dr. Naseer further pledged to support solidarity campaigns carried by the United Nations including a number of initiatives such as national or regional Food Security programmes, cultural and sporting events held to promote development of agriculture, nutrition and the environment. “Helping to alleviate rising prices, while reducing the pressures on land and water resources means that agriculture must become ever more productive, efficient and sustainable,” added Dr. Naseer.
Reaffirming his faith of UN strategy in fighting hunger related issues Dr. Naseer said ““we need that political will and delivery on financial commitments by governments as agreed in several conferences and submits while brainstorming on how to feed the world by 2050”. He further goes on saying “there is hope in every crisis, and I believe that together we will transform this world to a hunger free world”

While calling support for IIMSAM which is working on eradication of malnutrition- which is also technically attributed to hunger, Dr. Naseer urged the governments and organizations to some forward to support IIMSAM in pursuit of its aims and objectives to make this world free from hunger and malnutrition. Dr, Nasser appreciated the task being carried on by IIMSAM team in fighting world hunger and malnutrition through spreading Spirulina. He hoped that under guidance of His Excellency Ambassador Remigio M. Maradona Director General of the IIMSAM, the organization would reach to its target in fighting these menaces of contemporary world and thus spreading peace, stability and development in the world.

IIMSAM believes that promise in the Millennium Development Goal to reduce hunger and poverty by half by the year 2015 can only be redeemed by serious thinking, planning and action. Dr. Naseer further added “when we look the other side, there are impending challenges for the mankind. The global challenge of climate change has to be kept in mind while formulating policies for countering the menace of global food crisis”. The nature of crisis asks for global and concerted efforts on the part of world bodies, governments and civil society groups to tackle it. This year World Food Day must be taken as an opportunity to address the lurking crisis of climate change keeping in consideration the global needs of food to usher in the era of global food security regime.

IIMSAM is involved in making its all-out efforts to alleviate hunger. The project of producing Spirulina in Africa is a step in this direction. Spirulina is considered to be best alternative for the starving population of this world and “we are of the firm view that providing and making available the Spirulina to the third world countries can help us in checking hunger and fulfilling the long cherished goals of eliminating hunger and malnutrition from the face of the world” Dr. Naseer added.