1 min
Every human has the right to life and as far as living is concerned, food is one of the major ingredients that sustains it. So, every person should have the right to access the appropriate quantities and the right nutritious food at all times. So, our production capacity should match our increasing population size. Sadly, the reality is different - where our production capacity cannot meet the demand for food. Asides that, in developing countries, we are faced with the production of unsafe food. The issue of food safety at the farm level is becoming a public health concern and there is a need for immediate interventions or otherwise, it could become another pandemic.
It is sad that in the 21st century, many farmers do not prioritize food safety in their production activities. This could be traced to poor knowledge on the subject matter, little or no incentive is placed on complying with good agricultural practices that ensure production of safe food and the majority of customers care less on food safety compared to quantity. Customers have a preference for food that is cheap and enough for them. This needs to change and it starts from us. We need to handhold farmers beyond training on good agricultural practices that focus on producing safe food and at the same time, increase yield. Also, customers' behaviour must change towards consumption of safe food. It starts from knowing where the food is produced to knowing how it is produced (traceability) .
This is a herculean task but it needs to be incorporated as we develop our food systems. A food system that lacks traceability is unable to sustain the people it serves. Thus, it has to be mainstreamed into our intervention activities. In addition, the use of prohibited or banned chemicals must be criminalised. We can no longer condone indiscipline where some farmers produce food in any way that poses danger to the health of the consumers. It has to be corrected. As stakeholders, it is our role to ensure that farmers who produce food are responsible and ethical in their practices. The government needs to protect its citizens against criminals who are jeopardising our food systems and ensure they face the consequences.
In conclusion, the food production business is a serious business and should be handled by responsible people who understand the ethics of doing business. It is our collective right to eat safe food. Thus, it must be our duties as farmers to produce safe and healthy food. We cannot give up on our food systems now; rather, we need to work together to make it work for the greater good of the future generations. Our food must be medicine and our medicine must become our food and the first step to achieve this is when those who produce the food understand this objective - food must be safe, always.
Yours-in-Service
Babatunde
This is a herculean task but it needs to be incorporated as we develop our food systems. A food system that lacks traceability is unable to sustain the people it serves. Thus, it has to be mainstreamed into our intervention activities. In addition, the use of prohibited or banned chemicals must be criminalised. We can no longer condone indiscipline where some farmers produce food in any way that poses danger to the health of the consumers. It has to be corrected. As stakeholders, it is our role to ensure that farmers who produce food are responsible and ethical in their practices. The government needs to protect its citizens against criminals who are jeopardising our food systems and ensure they face the consequences.
In conclusion, the food production business is a serious business and should be handled by responsible people who understand the ethics of doing business. It is our collective right to eat safe food. Thus, it must be our duties as farmers to produce safe and healthy food. We cannot give up on our food systems now; rather, we need to work together to make it work for the greater good of the future generations. Our food must be medicine and our medicine must become our food and the first step to achieve this is when those who produce the food understand this objective - food must be safe, always.
Yours-in-Service
Babatunde
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