World Food Day: Awareness about quality food production stressed

BAHAWALPUR: It is vital to establish a balanced and healthy food supply chain to meet food requirements of all segments of the society. In addition, it is essential to create awareness regarding quality food production.

This was stated by DCO Dr. Ehtisham Anwer Mahar while speaking at a function which was held in connection with World Food Day at Circuit House on Sunday.

He said, “All stakeholders, including farmers, food manufacturers and distributors should play their due role in addressing food crisis in the country.”



He maintained, “The time is right to adopt modern techniques in food cultivation and utilising scientific measures to produce healthy crops to meet the food requirements of the growing population.”

The DCO urged the authorities to check use of unhygienic and polluted water for irrigating the crops and unnecessary use of pesticides.

Later, a walk was held on the eve of World Food Day which was led by DCO Bahawalpur Dr Ehtisham Anwer Mahar. The walk started from Circuit House and ended at Fawara Chowk. Government officials, civil society representatives, farmers and people belonging to different walks of life participated in the walk.

Meanwhile, a seminar was held at Institute of Food Sciences & Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan on World Food Day.  While addressing the participants, BZU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Tahir Amin said scientists and teachers should play their due role to create awareness regarding food and other challenges so that future of new generation could be secured.

He said the institute of food sciences had started research work for providing healthy food to the nation.

On the occasion, Institute of Food Sciences Director Prof Dr Saeed Akhtar informed the participants about impacts of shortage of food on human life. He said society could be saved from mental and physical disabilities by using food ingredients having vitamin D, calcium and others.

Similarly, Agriculture EDO Shafqat Hussain Bhatti said good food could bring about positive change in our behaviour. He maintained human health could be improved by adding calcium, iron and vitamins in food. Later, an awareness walk was held in which people from all walks of life participated.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2016.