PRI Concludes a Policy Lecture on ‘Why Food Security and Agricultural Development should be a National Priority’
Place: Meeting Hall, Policy Research Institute
Date: 29 August 2023
PRI hosted a policy lecture on ‘Why Food Security and Agricultural Development should be a National Priority’on 29th August. Mr. Bishow B. Parajuli, who has a proven professional track record in food security and agricultural development policies around the world, delivered the lecture for PRI staff.
Mr Parajuli started the lecture by narrating the growing paradox of food security in which amidst global agricultural abundance a worrying reality of hunger and want persists. While the planet yields enough sustenance for its 8 billion inhabitants, he underlined, the harsh reality is that one in nine individuals grapple with hunger every day. Around 850 million individuals go to bed hungry while 335 million remain on the verge of food insecurity.
To him, climate fluctuations and extreme weather conditions have been the major causes of global hunger’s recent surge. And, the ramifications of war, conflict and forced migration have added to the scourge.
He underscores the need for enhancing food production as well as equitable distribution systems to bridge the distressing gap between potential plenty and existing hunger. The adoption of climate-resilient and high-yielding crops, as has been done by our neighbouring countries, can also be another mitigating measure, he suggests. He also calls for a renewed commitment to SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) 2, which promises the end of hunger and sustainable agriculture to address the pestering problem of food insecurity.