Hunger Not Only About Undernourishment: Indonesian CG

Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Karachi Dr June Kuncoro Hadiningrat on Tuesday said hunger was not only about undernourishment but it was also about having sustainable access to enough food, in quantity and quality, to meet the nutritional needs of people for a healthy life, and overweight, obesity and its associated non-communicable diseases were also on the rise affecting over people globally

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Oct, 2021 ) :Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Karachi Dr June Kuncoro Hadiningrat on Tuesday said hunger was not only about undernourishment but it was also about having sustainable access to enough food, in quantity and quality, to meet the nutritional needs of people for a healthy life, and overweight, obesity and its associated non-communicable diseases were also on the rise affecting over people globally.

He was addressing the seminar on 'our actions are our future-better production, better nutrition, a better environment and better life' organized by the Department of Food Science and Technology University of Karachi.

"World Food Day is a global action to strengthen international and national solidarity in the fight to end poverty, malnutrition, and hunger. With such a challenging goal, we all need to work together. We need stronger policies and political commitment. We need to invest in nutrition and for nutrition. We need to walk hand-in-hand and build healthy and sustainable food systems," he added.

Malnutrition in all its forms has a serious cost for individuals, families, communities, and countries. Poor quality diets have become the single largest contributor to the global burden of disease and early death.

He mentioned that nee of food was much more than what was required in the past. It would be a key to the eradication of hunger and poverty. Dr June Kuncoro mentioned that food security and having access to nutritional food were critical for a healthy and productive nation.

"It is especially important now, with wide-ranging disruptions in supply chains caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. We have to produce more food at an affordable price to meet the nutrient requirement of all citizens on the planet, including those left behind by economic growth, and of our children and future generations to come", he told.

Meanwhile, the KU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi expressed that developing countries were being more affected by the global food crisis.

The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi observed that one of the major causes of malnutrition in Pakistan was the growing population, which needed time to be realized and addressed on an emergency basis.

He said that Pakistan had the best canal system in the world and its timely maintenance would help in overcoming the water shortfall in the agriculture fields.

"It is our moral duty to play our national role in tackling malnutrition," he added.

He stressed that people should follow the principles of hygiene while eating food as it was essential for a healthy life.

Another speaker, the Assistant Professor Department of Food Science and Technology Dr Syed Mohammad Ghaffar Saeed said that the current world population was about six billion people, of which 700 million people were suffering from hunger and malnutrition.

He mentioned that 16 percent of food was wasted while buying and selling, at processing stages, in restaurants, hotels, and homes, and 30 percent of the food was wasted without consuming it which was a matter of concern.

President All Pakistan Restaurant Association Shaukat Ali Suleiman said that in the restaurant industry, they were constantly striving to raise awareness about food waste awareness and distribute leftover food to various charities to reduce food waste.

The President Korangi Association of Trade and Industry Salman Aslam, leading Food consultant Saad Azeem, President World Poultry Association Waqar Alam, Chief Executive Officer Cornish Foods Wasim Shamsi, President Karachi Association of Suites and Namkoshi Sheikh Tehseen, Head of Research and Development Unilever Pakistan Yousuf Usman, General Manager Popular Group Dr Naeemullah Naeem, General Manager Upfield Fariha Sobhani and others also addressed the event.

Earlier, Chairperson Department of Food Science and Technology University of Karachi Dr Shahina Naz, while delivering the welcome address, elaborated on the aims and objectives of the seminar organized on the occasion of World Food Day and said that holding such seminars regularly was creating awareness among the masses.

The department also arranged poster and product development competitions, food stalls, and free food samplings for students and visitors.