The right to food: A collective action by all

A line in one of the songs of legendary reggae musician, Bob Marley, Dem Belly Full, states: A hungry man is an angry man."

The words underscore the vital role food plays in human existence. Food insufficiency is a national security issue, compelling every country to ensure sufficient food supply for its citizens.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) commemorates World Food Day on October 16, to raise awareness of global hunger and malnutrition. Since its inception, World Food Day has been observed in over 150 countries, making it one of the most widely celebrated days in the United Nations calendar. It serves as a reminder of the importance of food security and the global commitment to ending hunger.

Ghana, ranking 66th out of 127 countries in the 2024 Global Hunger Index with a moderate hunger level score of 13.9, faces significant food security challenges. The recent escalation of prices of food staples, exacerbated by dry spells and erratic rainfall patterns, raises concerns.

Furthermore, the destruction of water bodies poses a substantial threat to aquaculture, an essential source of nutrition.

As Ghana joined the global community in commemorating World Food Day, it is essential to reaffirm the country's commitment to fighting hunger and ensuring food sufficiency and nutrition for all. The theme "Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future," resonates deeply, emphasising the need for collective action.

Food is a legally binding human right in international law, enshrined in Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1966.

As we marked the day with the usual flagraising ceremony during which the FAO, WFP and other related bodies rallied around the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, there is the need for a sober reflection on the country’s food systems.

And from all indications, there is the need as a country to reaffirm our collective commitment to fighting hunger, ensuring food sufficiency and nutrition for all.  

Indeed, food is a right and must be made available in the right quantity and quality to ensure that people do not just eat to fill their stomach, but eat to gain the required nutrients for good health and growth.

The Daily Graphic is deeply concerned that the recent surge in food prices, compounded by the prolonged dry spell at the start of the rainy season, undoubtedly signals food insecurity in Ghana.

Very worrying is the destruction of our water bodies which poses a significant danger to aquaculture, an essential source of nutrition, and a serious barrier for the country to explore irrigation as an alternative to the erratic rainfall being experienced by the country.

Unfortunately, the world is confronted with natural developments such as climate change, which is altering the rainy pattern, thus rendering all of us vulnerable in our search for food security.

The beginning of the rainy season this year gave us a foretaste of the role of climate change in our quest for food production and what we have to do as a nation to contain the life-threatening development.

So, for Ghana to really attain food sufficiency and security, the Daily Graphic believes that there is the need for all hands-on-deck to turn the food situation in this country around.

This is the time for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to effectively collaborate with the CSIR-Food Research Institute to develop a new variety of crops that can resist drought and mature early to enable our farmers to navigate the erratic rainfall pattern the country is experiencing in recent times.