FAO Trinidad and Tobago Hosts World Food Day Activities

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago - To mark this year’s World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s (FAO) representation in Trinidad and Tobago hosted a range of activities to build public education and awareness of issues directly aligned to the organization’s corporate mandate by showcasing its past and present initiatives.  This included work on specific measures such as timely and well-targeted social protection policies and programmes to support vulnerable groups. Particularly, highlighting the role of women and youth in agrifood systems, promoting healthy diets and eradicating hunger issues by 2030.  

Every year, World Food Day is celebrated on the 16 October which marks the date that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was founded in 1945. It was first commemorated by the FAO in 1979. This year’s theme is: Leave no one behind - Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment, and a Better life (i.e. the four betters) is embodied in FAO’s initiatives locally and across the world.  

FAO currently provides technical assistance to the government and other stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago to transform the agrifood system and make it more inclusive, resilient and sustainable through innovation and technology. Thereby, truly ensuring that no citizen is left behind.  This strategic approach is aligned to several technical and capacity-building projects in Trinidad and Tobago as we make strides to the overall goal of meeting SDG2, Zero Hunger. This is a mission that goes beyond any one agency and knows no borders.  

Mr. Reuben Robertson, FAO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname commented that, “this is an issue that goes beyond any one agency and knows no borders. Governments, the private sector, academia, civil societies and individuals need to work together as a collective to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger”. Thus, the events were hosted in collaboration with the Cooperation for Climate Change Adaption and Resilience in the Caribbean under Mexico-CARICOM-FAO Initiative, Global Environment Facility (GEF) project titled “BIOREACH: Biodiversity Conservation and Agroecological Land Restoration in Productive Landscapes of Trinidad and Tobago etc. 

To kick off the events on 14 October 2022, private and public schools were invited to a whole day open day at FAO’s head office at #2 Serpentine Road, St. Clair, Trinidad and Tobago showcasing the work being developed under its initiatives such as climate smart hydroponic systems and solar powered aquaponic systems. A Seedling Planting Ceremony was also hosted at the Barataria Community Centre, where FAO is establishing a garden as a teaching tool for nutrition education with representatives of collaborators present such as the children of the Centre’s 4-H Club, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and Mexican Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago. To close off the activities, a prize giving ceremony was held for the representation’s Art and Essay Competition for school aged children nationwide.