THE FOOD WARRIORS; What role do I play? How do I fight?

Women produce between 60 and 80 per cent of the food in most developing countries and are responsible for half of the world's food production, yet their key role as food producers and providers and their critical contribution to household food security is only recently becoming recognised.

FAO studies confirm that while women are the mainstay of small-scale agriculture, farm labour force and day-to-day family subsistence, they have more difficulties than men in gaining access to resources such as land and credit and productivity enhancing inputs and services.

Given women's crucial role in food production and provision, any set of strategies for sustainable food security must address their limited access to productive resources security must address their limited access to productive resources:

• Ensure that women have equal opportunities with men to own land;
• Facilitate women's access to agricultural services tailoring such services to their needs;
• Encourage the productions of food crops through the use of incentives;
• Promote the adoption of appropriate inputs and technology to free up Women's time for income-producing activities;
• Improve the nutritional status of women and children;
• Provide better employment and income earning opportunities;
• Promote women's organizations;
• Review and re-orient government policies to ensure that the problems that constrain the role of women in food security are addressed.

FOOD SAFETY

“From farm to plate, make food safe”.

Food safety is everybody’s concern, and it is difficult to find anyone who has not encountered an unpleasant moment of foodborne illness at least once in the past year. Foodborne illnesses may result from the consumption of food contaminated by microbial pathogens, toxic chemicals or radioactive materials. Food allergy is another emerging problem. While many foodborne diseases may be self-limiting,

The “WHO Five keys to safer food” serve as the basis for educational programmes to train food handlers and educate the consumers. They are especially important in preventing foodborne illness. The Five keys are as follows.

Keep food surfaces clean. Wash all utensils, plates, platters, and cutlery as soon as used.

Separate raw food from cooked food.

Cook food thoroughly, to the appropriate temperature.

Keep food at safe temperatures, both for serving and storage.

Use safe water and raw materials.

Ensuring food safety starts with production, at the farm level. In this regard, misuse of agro-chemicals, including pesticides, growth hormones and veterinary drugs may have harmful effects on human health. The microbial and chemical risks could be introduced at the farm-level (e.g. using water contaminated by industrial waste or poultry farm waste for irrigation of crops). Good agricultural practices should be applied to reduce microbial and chemical hazards. Organic farming (without the use of pesticides) has been promoted in many countries of the South-East Asia Region, as there is a significant segment of health-conscious people. particularly in urban settings. Although organic products are expensive as compared to commonly available food items, there is a tendency among health- conscious consumers to eat less, but buy organic foods.


Ensuring food safety requires due attention during harvest, transport, processing, storage and finally during food preparation and storage by consumers.

Now you know. Let's keep food safe!!!