World Food Day 2023 - Kigoma

Habari za Asubuhi! Kigoma oyeee! Wakulima oyeee!

Thank you for the privilege to be here with you today, especially with our food heroes, for this very important WFD commemoration. This is a day when we all commit to ensuring that all people in Tanzania have access to healthy and nutritious food. We all want to a world without hunger, and that journey starts at home, here in Tanzania.

Let me begin by congratulating the Government of URT for hosting the AGRF recently. This was an important platform that provided African countries the opportunity to share best practices and jointly develop solutions to address food and nutrition challenges on the continent – hongereni sana.

I would like to also take this opportunity to thank Dr. Ayubu Rioba, Director General of the TBC, for his dedication to promote sustainable food systems and agriculture by broadcasting the WFD message in Kiswahili for the first time in the country. This is significant step forward in our efforts to raise awareness about the importance of food security and sustainable agriculture. By delivering the WFD message in Kiswahili on one of Tanzania’s most watched TV stations, we will reach even more people and communities in Kiswahili-speaking countries across Eastern Africa, to promote our common vision and goals in food and agriculture.

Each and every one of us has invested time and efforts in these week-long WFD celebrations in Kigoma, including the Regional Commissioner's Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, the UN, and other partners. A very special thank you goes to the people of Kigoma for their usual warm welcome and hospitality, you have made us all feel at home – asanteni sana.

Each year on 16 October, more than 150 countries commemorate WFD to focus on different aspects of food security, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. This global event aims to raise awareness about the crucial need to address hunger, especially in times of crisis. It also promotes collective efforts to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has access to sufficient, safe, diverse, and nourishing food.

Being able to share several meals a day with family is a privilege that not everyone enjoys, but a privilege that everyone should have. We came together to reaffirm our commitments to making this a reality for everyone, every day.

This year we celebrate one of the planet’s most precious resources, water, under the theme, “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.” This theme emphasizes the responsibility of the government, private sector, civil society, and all stakeholders, to collectively ensure that our food systems produce a variety of foods to nourish a growing population while also sustaining the planet.

At present, over 2 billion people live in water-stressed countries. Water is a driving force in people’s lives, economies, and for the environment. It is also the foundation of our food systems. It is essential for life and livelihoods. However, climate change, population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and social economic development are putting increasing pressure on water resources.

More than 1/3 of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water, with smallholder farmers, particularly women, youth and indigenous people, being the most affected, many struggling to meet their daily needs.

Water scarcity is a global challenge that requires every country to act. To make every drop count, all of us need to consume and manage water more efficiently. We all have a role to play in reducing water loss and by investing in modern infrastructure and construction of environmentally friendly irrigation systems. Ensuring water security is key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Science, data, innovation, and technology provide the basis for new and sustainable solutions to meet the challenges of water shortage, management and degraded ecosystems.

Farmers, the unsung food heroes, are the guardians of our natural resources. It is important to equip them with the right tools, skills, and technologies for sustainable agricultural practices that are friendly to the environment, use water more efficiently & provide better protection against climate change.

More action is needed to reduce agricultural pollution caused by hazardous pesticides, improve water quality, and reduce food safety risks at the farm-level, to prevent food contamination and keep the aquatic food systems healthy.

Ninety-five percent of our food is grown on land, and it all starts with soil and water. Sustainable soil management is critical for addressing water challenges and promoting overall environmental sustainability to enhance water retention in soils and land, while reducing the negative impacts of agriculture on water resources and biodiversity.

There is great strength in working together to achieve common goals and address challenges collectively. The UN is committed to work closely with the Government, farmers, communities, and other stakeholders to transform agri-food systems through better production, better nutrition, better environment, and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

The UN family fully supports the ambitious agenda of the Government in expanding irrigation as a means to promote food security and resilience to climatic shocks. The budget allocation of $181 million in the FY 2022/2023 for irrigation schemes, compared to only $20 million the previous year, was a huge step forward and will lead to significant benefits, especially in guaranteeing that smallholder farmers have access to water. We assure you of our commitment to this agenda and our willingness to make water resources available to those in need through our various programs.

Asanteni na Heri ya siku ya Chakula Duniani!