Countries need to improve their regulatory and agricultural practices by integrating better technology
KARACHI: The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the food deficiency-related issues around the world. From rising food prices and panic-buying to food shortages and malnutrition, the pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of the global food system. While food security remains crucial, it is also important to ensure that food is safe and environmentally friendly. This requires regulating the entire food chain from production and distribution all the way to consumption.
Unhealthy food is a threat not only to the economy but also to human health. It exacerbates the spread of foodborne diseases which, in turn, severely impacts the health and lifestyle of vulnerable and marginalised individuals. Migrants and refugees are particularly at a higher risk from this since they are exposed more to unhealthy food. According to statistics provided by the United Nations, almost 3 million people die every year due to food and waterborne diseases. As the world becomes more interconnected and the food value chains grow immensely, it is imperative to implement standards that guarantee food safety across the globe. It is important to understand that achieving food safety is a collective responsibility, where government, producers and consumers have to ensure that the food that citizens consume is safe and not a threat to health and or the environment. We must realise that food security cannot be achieved without food safety since safe food promotes sustainable development which in turn stimulates the economy.
Countries need to improve their regulatory and agricultural practices by integrating better technology. The civil society must also take equal responsibility in this regard by limiting themselves to healthier food options. World leaders and the relevant stakeholders must ensure access to sufficient, nutritious, and safe food to all individuals throughout the year.
Nayab Iqbal
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2020.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
