World Food Day: Commemoration ceremony held in Nay Pyi Taw

The World Food Day commemoration ceremony, observed annually on October 16 by United Nations member countries, was held at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation in Nay Pyi Taw on 16th October and attended by Union Ministers U Min Naung, U Hla Moe, and U Khin Maung Yi, Deputy Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, departmental heads, rectors of universities, officials and staff.

In his remark at the event, Union Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, U Min Naung said that the State Administration Council has set two national objectives: promoting the prosperity of the country and ensuring food security.

The government has placed special emphasis on enhancing agricultural productivity. To provide nutritious and safe food for the public, agricultural policies and strategies, as well as short-term and long-term plans, have been established and are being implemented. He also highlighted that under the tenure of SAC government, efforts have been made to boost crop production and increase farmers' incomes through the use of the National Economic Promotion Fund.

Specifically, a budget of 286.1 billion kyats has been allocated to implement programs for cultivating monsoon paddy, summer paddy, and oilseed crops. The Union Minister emphasized the theme for World Food Day 2024, "Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future."

In alignment with this theme, he stressed the importance of ensuring that every individual has access to sufficient food, promoting better production and nutrition, improving social life and the environment, and transforming agricultural and food systems. He encouraged greater investment, innovation, and broad collaboration among all stakeholders in the agricultural and food systems.

Following the speech, a video message from the Director-General of FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, was shown, along with a documentary on the 2024 World Food Day celebrations organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation together with the Photographic records of crop and fishery production activities.