Since its declaration in 1979 at the FAOs Twentieth General Conference, the World Food Day is celebrated in over 179 countries each year on October 16, including Ghana.

As a member of the United Nations and an appendage to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Ghana joined other countries at the forecourt of the State House in Accra to mark this year’s World Food Day.

Touching on the need for observing the day, the Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister outlined some challenges Ghana has faced over the years in a bid to eliminate hunger in all parts of the country, particularly remote rural areas.

Elizabeth Sackey said the global celebration which is targeted at achieving zero hunger in the world, mostly in developing countries is in tandem with the UN-SDG goal 2 – which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.

Mrs Sackey added that global statistics have revealed that about 3.1 million children could be saved from hunger and inevitable starvation if governments across the world would contribute to achieving the SDG goal 2.

“The 39th World Food Day focuses on Sustainable Development Goal – zero hunger, which aims to change the world in so many ways including the fact that ending nutrition-related child mortality could increase the workforce by 9.4 per cent. Zero hunger could save the lives of about 3.1 million children every year and help build a safer and more prosperous world for everyone," she said.

Also speaking at the event, was the UN resident coordinator, Sylvia Ekra Lopez, who highlighted the peculiar reasons attached to the observance of the World Food Day.

She said the cost of dealing with hunger-related issues weighs heavy on the global economy.

In related issues, however, she noted that the celebration of the World Food Day does not only comprise the campaign to combat hunger but also targeted at achieving consumption of quality food to reduce obesity in some parts of the world.

“...we have dramatically changed the way we eat, damaging our health with soaring levels of obesity. The world spends an estimated US$2 trillion to treat health problems caused by obesity.”

The Minister of state-in-charge of Agriculture, Dr Gyiele Nurah, added that Ghana joined other countries in observing the day to heighten public awareness on the detrimental repercussions of hunger to development of the country.

He said lifestyle choices and ignorance are major contributors to the nutritional deficits in Ghana.

The event was attended by some high-profile personalities like the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Lulu Xingwana, Namibian High Commissioner to Ghana, Charles Josob and several others.

This year’s event was headlined with the theme, ‘Healthy Diets for a #ZeroHunger World.’