Guyana cops MDG award for reducing hunger

Guyana was bestowed an award for achieving the distinction of meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG), relating to hunger.

Agriculture Minister Mr. Noel Holder was in attendance at Rome, Italy, for three specialised meetings, as well as for issues regarding Guyana’s membership of various agriculturally related organisations. The Minister also received the prestigious award for Guyana’s success in meeting the MDG in relation to hunger.

The first meeting that the Minister attended was the Thirty-ninth Session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations’ (FAO) Biennial Conference, the General Meeting of FAO.

This meeting’s agenda included the appointment of the Director General of the Organisation, Dr. Jose Graziano da Silva. The present Director General was returned unopposed almost unanimously. The count showed that of the 179 countries eligible to vote, 177 voted in his favour.

Guyana’s presence at these forums is very significant. The country, because of its topographical and geographical setting in a coastal zone being below sea level and thus prone to flooding, is a member of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Prudent watch is therefore always necessary as rising sea levels, increasing air and sea surface temperatures, and changing rainfall patterns, as well as the impact of natural disasters and the degradation of coastal and marine ecosystems, are always matters that impinge on the ‘Sustainable Development’ of these types of countries.

The second meeting was vital as it provided an opportunity for SIDS to share experiences and highlight priorities to achieve sustainable development for ‘Food Security and Nutrition.’ Guyana’s success thus far in this area is universally accepted. Guyana has made outstanding progress in MDG1, particularly in the area of halving the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Guyana is also among 38 countries which have met internationally-established targets in the fight against hunger, ahead of the deadline set for 2015. In addition, the country has also met the more stringent World Food Summit (WFS) goal, having reduced by half the absolute number of undernourished people between 1990-92 and 2010-2012.

The final meeting was a Special Event ceremony on June 7, 2015 entitled “Completing the Millennium Development Goals Round: recognising achievements in the fight against hunger”.

The occasion saw Guyana, as one of four countries in CARICOM, receiving special honour for having achieved the distinction of meeting either the “World Food Summit (WFS) targets and/or the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)” in relation to hunger.[Extracted and modified from GINA]