President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. suggested Wednesday key steps that should be taken so that nations can attain nutrition security, and these include boosting agricultural and fishery productivity, improving logistics systems and changing people’s lifestyles.
In his opening remarks during the Panel Session on Moving Towards Nutrition Security at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, President Marcos also raised the idea of using climate-resilient technologies and promoting urban and vertical farming to enhance food production.
“We must invest in facilities, logistics and systems that bring nutritious food to our people, much like a grander scale of farm-to-table and increase the capacity of our institutions to enforce regulations that enhance food quality,” Marcos told the panel session.
“We must also cooperate to develop technologies that increase the nutritional value of our food and content and prolong their shelf life,” the President added.
Governments, Marcos said, must incentivize a nutritious lifestyle, promote active and health-seeking behaviors across ages and income levels, and create an ecosystem based on the concept of a green and circular economy.
In the Philippines, food security remains at the forefront of the administration’s national agenda, anchored on the vision for a prosperous, resilient and secure Philippines by 2040, the President said, noting the overarching goals of his government are to build an inclusive society and prolong people’s life expectancy.
“Underscoring all these lofty goals is ensuring that each and everyone is provided with quality and ample nutrition,” President Marcos said.
Citing a 2021 Global Food Security Index, which ranked the Philippines at a modest 64th out of 113 countries in four dimensions of food security, more certainly needs to be done to attain Sustainable Development Goal 2 on Zero Hunger, according to the President.
The report emphasized that the challenge of nutrition is different among nations, although the keys to prioritizing interventions are those geared toward making food available, affordable and accessible amid the looming global food and energy shortage, Marcos said.
The chief executive also said the Philippines is looking at working with the WEF and various stakeholders on a holistic and integrated plan covering both food security and nutrition security. #
