Guyana’s agricultural sector can anticipate various types of assistance from the local office of the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the UN agency proceeds with the execution of its mandate as the body responsible for celebrating 2021 as the designated International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV).
While, more than two months into IYFV, the local Ministry of Agriculture is yet to unveil its own programme to mark the global celebration of fruits and vegetables, a release from the FAO’s Georgetown office lists various ways in which it stands ready to support Guyana’s IYFV commemorative programme. Following a conversation with the local FAO office, the Stabroek Business has agreed to partner with the agency in the promotion of events associated with IYFV.
In announcing its readiness to work with the authorities here in the execution of an IYFV programme, the local FAO office asserts that its mission is to “work with stakeholders within the food system to raise awareness about the importance of fruits and vegetables for human nutrition, food security and health.”
Asserting that the FAO, as a whole, is “dedicated to raising awareness on the important role that fruits and vegetables play in human nutrition, food safety, and health, the Guyana office says that locally, it is prepared to work with relevant stakeholders to create opportunities for dialogue and public awareness. Additionally, the organisation says that it intends to continue its current school feeding programme locally, structuring it in such a way that beyond providing an opportunity for school-age children to have access to nutritious and healthy home grown produce, it will also support creativity and innovation that will increase early interest in fruits and vegetable production.
Additionally, the local FAO office says it will “support reliable and sustainable market outlets for small family farmers in different communities throughout Guyana,” while supporting training activities that will empower small farmers to expand their businesses and branch out from basic production to different innovative specialties within the fruits and vegetable value chains.
Further, the local FAO office says that it will partner with stakeholders “to increase awareness on innovative ways to reduce food loss and waste along the fruits and vegetable value chains as well as highlighting current innovative national businesses that contribute to the reduction of food loss and waste.”
