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News
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Roy Palmer
Developing the sustainability of food systems, community food justice, and public health success.
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any people around the world, some well-reasoned estimates state in many countries the figure can be as high as 50 percent, fall on and below the poverty line; in fact, many have felt starvation many times. Statistically, a great many children below five years of age are currently severely malnourished. Although many are able to eat calorie sufficient diets of mainly carbohydrates and fats, these diets contain precious little protein, essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that are vital for good physical growth and development, and hence to health and learning capabilities. Let there be no misunderstanding - a poor diet means a less healthy body Unhealthy bodies are prone to illnesses, many “subclinical” no symptoms, in character, and go unheeded, partly because of poor knowledge arising from lack of good education and instruction and, because of poor access to health and other social services because the poor have insufficient or no income. Regrettably many of the Government policy makers and program implementers collectively work guided by informal, operating “scripts” formed in the organisational psyche of many moons ago. These “scripts” allow for more efficient but often mindless work. It does so by eliminating careful and mindful attention to a great amount of highly nuanced details that change dramatically through time, sometimes abruptly. This mindlessness allows many mistakes go unchecked. They may even be rationalised with increasing bad effects on our lives. Bureaucracies become efficient in making obvious mistakes and ‘common sense’ goes out the window. Certainly we are seeing this with politics right around the world at this time. The bottom line is that the agriculture policies of many current governments have helped to make food environments less healthy for people. There is a need for food systems to be reformed. Agriculture and farm policies need to be aligned with national public health and nutrition goals. Currently there is a great disconnect between public health diet-related diseases and agriculture policy issues, but they are intimately connected. A systemic strategy that simultaneously focuses on developing the
sustainability of food systems, community food justice, and public health success would have multiple benefits and allow for rich partnerships. It is a slippery slide and it can be addressed and it is important that the United Nations has stated that this is an important ‘goal’ amongst others in its Sustainable Development Goals to be completed in Agenda 2030. Things, however, continue to be positive for the AwF with a number of activities and hopefully by the next edition there will be some projects funded. We have followed up the giant news from The Charity Commission of the UK which confirmed the registration of Aquaculture without Frontiers (UK), as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation – AwF (UK) CIO. The organisation had its inaugural Board of Trustees meeting on 15 April where Clifford Spencer was appointed Chairman; Roger Gilbert his Deputy; Simon Birks as Secretary; and Tuti Tan and Janice Spencer as the Financial Task Force with myself (Global Management). Darren Parris will head the UK Management Task Force and will initially concentrate on connecting with the milling and grain industry to establish the ‘Milling for Life’ program. We are currently making changes to our website to accommodate the UK operation so you might see some subtle manoeuvres, but hopefully this will not be seen as a distraction. We have not dropped any issue from the website, just re-organised it. AwF (UK) CIO will start to build on the strong relationships that we have had in the past as well as new alliances. For example through Cliff Spencer’s role with UN and specifically his role as Goodwill Ambassador to NEPAD we expect to have much closer ties with Africa. The NEPAD Agency is the implementing agency of the African Union that advocates for NEPAD, facilitates and coordinates the development of NEPAD continent-wide programs and projects, mobilises resources and engages the global community, regional economic communities and member states in the implementation of these programs and projects. There is a good fit between the organisations in that NEPAD’s Investment Programs are: • Skills and Employment for Youth • Industrialisation, Science, Technology and Innovation • Regional Integration, Infrastructure and Trade
4 | May | June 2016 - International Aquafeed