The access to affordable, adequate, safe and nutritious food, in sufficient quantity and quality is recognized as a basic human need to meet their dietary requirements for an active and healthy life. Low agricultural productivity, high post-harvest losses, inefficient value addition processes, poor distribution and marketing of agro-products and climate change are an impediment to this basic right.
To achieve 100 percent food and nutrition security, the country will need to double agricultural production, reduce loses, enhance value addition, mitigate the effects of climate change and reverse micronutrient deficiency or hidden hunger.
Government Departments, Agencies and partners should give priority to research that will lead to:
- Enhanced agricultural productivity, through novel technologies, better management of pests and diseases and sustainable use of soil, water and biodiversity;
- Reduced post-harvest losses through increased efficiency in food processing, storage, distribution and supply chains;
- Increased technology up-take through effective technology transfer system, sustainable provision of extension services, farmer education and public outreach programmes;
- Increased diversity of food sources by addressing the socio-economic, cultural and religious factors that limit the utilization of diverse food sources; and
- Promotion of sustainable products utilization; water management, rehabilitation, conservation and management; indigenous traditional knowledge; biodiversity and environment management; strengthening environmental governance; and, mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
