WORLD FOOD DAY 2013: "SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS FOR FOOD SECURITY ANDNUTRITION"

“Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition” will be the focus of World Food Day in 2013.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation is a division of the United Nations, and is responsible for World Food Day. Along with raising awareness of hunger and poverty, the day aims to encourage economic and technological cooperation between different governments and with non-governmental organisations.

The official World Food Day theme gives focus to World Food Day observances and helps increase understanding of problems and solutions in the drive to end hunger. Today almost 870 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished. Unsustainable models of development are degrading the natural environment, threatening ecosystems and biodiversity that will be needed for our future food supply. Calls for profound changes in our agriculture and food systems are becoming more frequent and more insistent.
Addressing the long-standing issue of hunger also means finding solutions that can be implemented to prevent unsustainable development practices which often cause the degradation and depletion of natural ecosystems. It is also necessary to thoroughly reassess food lifestyles and agricultural production in the most developed countries, preventing the waste of raw materials, in order to safeguard the future of our planet.

What would a sustainable food system look like? Is it possible to get from here to there? What would need to change to move us in that direction? World Food Day 2013 is an opportunity to explore these and other questions, and help bring about the future we want.

However, it is not just about donating food to the world's hungry and undernourished peoples. It is about doing something to help them help themselves. If I was hungry and someone gave me a plough to farm my land I would be far more grateful than if they gave me a sack of potatoes. If I had a plough I could be self-sufficient and produce my own food. That is what the day is trying to encourage.  
Open days in the various stations of the Ministry ( read more below)

As part of activities marking the World Food Day 2013 the Ministry of Agro - Industry and Food Security have organised open days, over three days ( October 17 to 19 ) in all agricultural centers and parastatal bodies.
For activities in parastatal body, Agricultural Research and Extension Unit ( AREU ) have put on sale vegetables at station Wooton , and the sale of plants and fungi at la Brassesrie , Curepipe.

Regarding the Small Farmers' Welfare Fund and the Agricultural Marketing Board , joint activities will be provided at the Farmers Service Centre ( FSC) hall of St. Peter.

Regarding the Food and Agricultural Research Council ( FARC) , it is stated therein that the sale of plants and visits to the laboratory.

With regard to the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden ( SSRBG ) , Pamplemousses , which was a great success attendance at the edition of the World Food Day 2012 , free admission is scheduled for Mauritian visitors.

Regarding activities in agricultural services , it is stated that the services of the Forests Sevices will put on sales plants in nurseries : Curepipe, Bras d'Eau , Powder Mill ( Grapefruit ) , Souillac, Abercrombie and Quartier Militaire .

Similarly, visitors' centers My Green Plain Sophie Nature Walk and Powder Mill Nature Walk will be open to the public.
In terms of the National Parks and Conservation Service ( NPCS ), it is noted that the sale of the plant will be at Plant Propagation Centre, Robinson Road and the visitors centers Bras d'Eau , Pétrin Creek Estuary Red Earth and Lower Black River Gorges .

Sale of plants and sowing seed at a reduced price of 50% will also , at Barkly Experimental Centre . A poster exhibition , followed by demonstration of sowing seed production and testing , as well as demonstrations on plant propagation will also be provided .

Regarding the Veterinary Services , visitors will have the opportunity to see artificial inseminations and visit the Animal Health Lab and quarantine of imported animals.

Further , the sale of chicks , ducklings , eggs , ducks reaching adulthood will be at the Animal Production Division . An exhibition of chicks and ducklings is also planned.

Concerning the department of entomology, an exhibition on ' sustainable agriculture ', bees and fruit flies. A distribution of baits is also planned .