Food Security

• Need to Have Higher Domestic Food Safety Standards to Enhance Consumer Trust: Additional Secretary, MoFPI, GoI

  The Indian food processing sector is growing rapidly, and Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, emphasized the importance of higher food safety standards for enhancing consumer trust, both for domestic consumption and exports.…

• Farm-to-table movement: Bridging the gap between farmers and consumers

  The Farm-to-table movement in India promotes direct sourcing of farm produce from farmers to consumers, cutting out exploitative middlemen and ensuring fair compensation for farmers. This movement fosters transparency, sustainability, and a deeper connection between producers and consumers.…

• Nourishing the Future: Harnessing Bio-Fortification for Nutritional Security

  This article delves into the issue of nutritional security, highlighting the decline in food quality and its impact on overall nutrition. It introduces bio-fortification as a solution to enhance the nutrient value of crops and combat hidden hunger.…

• New Report Identifies Pakistan, Afghanistan as Global Food Shortage 'Hotspots'

  As the situation unfolds, it is essential for international organizations, governments, and stakeholders to address the acute food insecurity in Pakistan and Afghanistan.…

• Cabinet Approves Constitution and Empowerment of Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for Facilitation of ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector’

  Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector”.…

• UN Report Highlights Pakistan as 'Very High Concern' Area for Food Insecurity

  UN report underscores the urgent need for immediate attention and action to address the worsening food security situation in these vulnerable regions, calling for international support and coordinated efforts to alleviate the impact of acute food insecurity and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.…

• N Korea Food Shortage Crisis: Media Urges For Increased Farming Output

  North Korea's state media has been urging their farmers to take steps to increase grain output ahead of the rice-planting season. The country has been facing severe food shortages, compounded by border closures due to the pandemic and international sanctions related to its nuclear and…

• Acute Food Insecurity in Afghanistan, Says FAO Economist

  Maximo Torero, a senior economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has noted that the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is a growing concern for the international community.…

• SAU Calls for Arid Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Sindh

  Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) is concerned about the conversion of green land in Sindh province into colonies, which threatens agricultural land resources. Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor of SAU, has warned that this situation will cause food security issues.…

• World Bank Predicts 4 mn More Pakistanis to Fall Below Poverty Line in FY23

  World Bank predicts that almost four million people would fall below the lower middle-income poverty threshold as economic growth falls to 0.4% versus a planned aim of 5%.…

• US Int’l Development Finance Corp Lends USD 49.5M to India to Support Energy Efficiency, Food Security

  The US International Development Financing Corporation (DFC) has approved 17 new contracts totaling over USD 655 million in investment around the world, three of which are in India.…

• North Korea: Kim Jong Convenes Meeting to Strengthen Country's Economy & Agri Sector Fearing Food Shortage

  North Korea requires approximately 5.5 million tonnes of grain to feed its 25 million people, so it is typically 1 million tonnes short each year. Unofficial grain purchases from China typically cover about half of the gap.…

• Turkey & Syria Urgently Needs Agricultural Assistance After Deadly Earthquake, says FAO

  According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), people in Turkey and Syria, whose lives were uprooted by deadly earthquakes in the early hours of February 6, 2023, are now facing a food crisis as agricultural systems took a significant hit.…

• ‘TN Govt Should Invest in GM Crop Research’: says Biologist Venki Ramakrishnan

  Nobel laureate and structural biologist Venki Ramakrishnan advocated for genetically modified crops and genetic mutation, urging the government to invest in genetic crops rather than allowing private companies to monopolize them.…

• USDA Invests USD 9.4 Mn in Compost & Food Waste Reduction Projects

  The USDA is investing more than $9.4 million in 45 cooperative agreements to support innovative, scalable waste management plans aimed at reducing and diverting food waste from landfills.…

• Sri Lanka Faces Acute Food Crisis; Wickremesinghe Seeks Help

  Food insecurity in Sri Lanka has risen dramatically as a result of two consecutive seasons of poor harvests, currency shortages, and decreased household purchasing power.…

• Afghanistan Among Eight Countries Facing Severe Hunger: Report

  Afghanistan is one of the eight countries most affected by hunger. As per report, the number of Afghans facing severe hunger increased from 2.25 million in 2019 to 6.6 million in 2022.…

• Food Safety: IIT Roorkee Researchers Develop Edible Ink for Printing & Packaging

  Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have developed a water-based edible ink derived from plants for printing and packaging applications.…

• "Achieving Zero-Hunger on African Continent is Possible": Global Agri Leaders Ahead of 2023 Africa Food Summit in Dakar

  We all want enough food for our families to eat foods that are both safe and nutritious. A world without hunger has the potential to benefit our economies, health, education, equality, and social development. It's an important part of creating a better future for everyone.…

• Food Security: India Plans World’s Largest Grain Storage Scheme

  An additional step toward achieving food security would be for India to soon have the largest grain storage system in the world.…

• “Millets Could Address Global Concerns of Malnutrition, Food Security”: Piyush Goyal

  While addressing the "Millets-Smart Nutritive Food" Conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles Piyush Goyal said that India must work hard to become the 'Global Capital of Millets'…

• G20 Summit: Leaders Call for Updating Global Agri Food Trade Rules to Address Food Security Issues

  In order to address issues with food security, G 20 leaders vowed to support the adoption of innovative practises and technologies, including digital innovation in agriculture and food systems.…

• Torrential Floods Pose Biggest Risk to Food Security in West & Central Africa

  Nearly 2.5 million acres of farmland in West and Central Africa are under water following unprecedented floods- posing a long-term threat to the region's food security.…

• Nestle Partners with Africa Food Prize to Strengthen Food Security & Climate Change Resilience

  The Africa Food Prize awards USD 100,000 to individuals and institutions that are pioneering agricultural and food systems transformation in Africa.…

• Public Health Risks Rising in Flood-Ravaged Pakistan, Warns WHO

  Aside from the health risks posed by flooding, the agriculture sector has also suffered. Waterlogging caused by a long-lasting flood has a negative impact on crop production and resulting food availability at the local, regional, and national levels.…

• Experts Underline Importance of Fortified Rice for Nutritional Security

  Fortification of rice has been recognised as a useful and complementary method for boosting dietary intake of vitamins and minerals with a quick turnaround time (TAT). Additionally, it contributes to the nation's fight against anaemia and malnutrition and represents a step toward nutritional security.…

• IMF Looking for Ways to Increase Access to Emergency Food Shock Aid

  According to IMF data, food is the single largest category in inflation baskets – the selection of goods used to calculate the cost of living – in many developing countries, accounting for around half in countries such as India or Pakistan and on average for…

• Tripura May Face Foodgrain Shortage Due to Lack of Rain: Agriculture Minister

  The agriculture minister said Wednesday that farmers are satisfied with the Centre's agricultural policies and the state government's arrangements, citing work in providing benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, Kisan Credit Card, and procuring paddy directly from farmers…

• Afghanistan's Overlapping Food & Debt Crisis can have Disastrous Impacts: World Bank

  "Our ideas are built on a number of pillars, including bolstering Afghanistan's infrastructure, modernising Afghan agriculture, and expanding trade and transit. We can achieve self-sufficiency through these...components," said Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy.…

• Chhattisgarh CM Proposes MNREGA Scheme for Urban Areas with Populations Under 20,000

  The Chief Minister told the 7th Governing Council of NITI Aayog, which met here under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, that "MGNREGA should be implemented in rural areas near cities and cities with a population of less than 20,000." In addition to the meeting's…

• PM Urges States to Increase Farm Output as Food Prices Rise Worldwide

  One of the most important items in India's import basket is edible oil, which includes palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. Furthermore, several pulses, such as arhar and masur, are imported from other countries.…

• Blinken Announces $25 mn Aid to Improve Food Security in Cambodia

  More than 60% of Cambodians live in rural areas and make their living through agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Climate shocks, such as temperature fluctuations, changes in rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events, make these rural Cambodians particularly vulnerable.…

• India & Mauritius to Collaborate with Other Countries to Ensure Food Security

  Tomar stated that the Government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is very serious about agriculture and that many concrete steps have been taken to advance it, and that India has achieved self-sufficiency in food grain production to meet not only its domestic…

• Food Safety & Drug Administration to Launch Campaign Against Food Adulteration in Lucknow

  The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) is preparing to begin an implementation and awareness campaign in Lucknow with the objective of earning the top place in the Eat Right Challenge -2 programme after placing fifth nationally in the Eat Right Challenge - 1 programme.…

• India Is Still Plagued By Food Insecurity And Hunger Report

  India once again holds the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of global hunger.…

• Food Insecurity Looming in Nigeria Due to Insurgency

  Farmers are afraid to go to their farmlands because they are afraid of being killed. The lack of farmers on farmlands has had a significant impact on food production, raising market prices for food commodities and contributing to food insecurity.…

• Spear Capital Invests in Zimbabwean Food Manufacturer AFZ to Expand Operations

  The recent investment will allow the manufacturer to upgrade its systems and equipment, as well as expand its facilities, reducing its environmental impact and increasing capacity utilization.…

• Odisha Emerges as Top State in ‘State Ranking Index for NFSA’

  The Index for ranking states and UTs is built on three key pillars that cover NFSA implementation from start to finish via TPDS. These pillars are as follows: I NFSA—coverage, targeting, and Act provisions, ii) Delivery platform, and iii) Nutrition initiatives.…

• Clean Street Food Hubs will Become a Reality in a Few Major Cities

  Food safety officials will conduct a pre-audit in panchayats, municipalities, and Corporation areas, assess the facilities in each eatery, and provide sufficient instructions to these eateries on serving clean and safe food.…

• Abu Dhabi Agriculture & Food Safety Authority Plans to Improve Food Safety

  In order to contribute to sustainable agriculture and maximise farm output, he issued a directive on biosecurity requirements for farms and livestock holdings in the capital. According to the state news agency Wam, the strategy will focus on pest control and disease elimination from produce.…

• Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation Gets Approval to Offer Accreditation Services

  JANAAC is recognized as having the authority to accredit certification bodies capable of conducting food safety audits under the Acidified Foods (AF), Dietary Supplements, Juice Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (Juice HACCP), Low-Acid Canned Foods (LACF), and Medicated Feed Current Good Manufacturing Practices (Medicated…

• FSSC, UNIDO to Build Food Safety Capacity in Middle-Income Countries

  The goal of everyone involved in food safety, from small and medium businesses to national food associations and food safety authorities, is to guarantee that the food they produce or regulate is safe for local consumption.…

• Will Food Security Risk Continue from the Ukraine-Russia Conflict?

  The global food security risk has elevated because of the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Already around 800 million people were undernourished till 2020, and the FAO now expects the number to increase by another 7.6 million to 13.1 million by the end of 2023. However, there are…

• Sri Lanka Faces Food Crisis as Farmers Abandon Their Fields Due to the Scarcity of Seeds and Fertilizers

  Due to exorbitant costs, many farmers, including Daranagama, have abandoned rice cultivation entirely this season. It's a frightening turn of events for a middle-income country that once had no trouble feeding a population of 22 million people.…

• Centre Directs E-Commerce Food Business Operators to Submit Proposal within 15 Days

  The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) raised the issue of e-commerce FBOs failing to share customer information with restaurants, limiting their ability to better serve consumer needs. Furthermore, the latter determines and collects delivery fees. In addition, the online FBOs charge a commission of…

• Food Technology: This New Sensor can Detect Pesticide Residues on Fruits and Vegetables

  Food safety is of the utmost importance in the post-Covid era. It is important to thoroughly clean vegetables and fruits before eating them, as has been emphasized numerous times over the last two years.…

• How to Prevent Storage Losses in Grains Without Using Chemicals

  When grains absorb moisture from their surroundings, they lose their optimal moisture, making them prone to mold growth and aflatoxins. Additionally, when uncontrolled, infestation leads to losses. These problems happen regardless of the volume of the stored commodity. As a result, companies have been trying…

• Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya Releases 4th State Food Safety Index

  Union Health Minister congratulated the winning States/UTs based on the ranking for 2021-22 for their outstanding performance across all parameters. This year, Tamil Nadu ranked first among the larger states, followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra. Goa was first among the smaller states, followed by Manipur…

• World Food Safety Day 2022: Some Quotes, Wishes & Messages to Share

  The day is dedicated to taking action to prevent, diagnose, and control foodborne hazards in order to enhance human health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).…

• World Food Safety Day 2022: Date, Theme, Significance & Food Safety Practices that You Must Follow

  Food plays a significant role in our daily lives. While eating healthy and nutritious foods promotes general health, eating bad foods can contribute to a variety of ailments.…