Youths in Honiara on Thursday marked the International Youth Day, 2021 based on the theme ‘Transforming Food System: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health”.
The celebration of the day was held at the National Auditorium.
Attending the celebrations were; Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Permanent Secretary of Women, Youth Children and Family Affairs, Diplomatic corps representatives, Honiara City Major and Youth Council representatives.
Speaking during the celebrations, Permanent Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) Ethel Frances in her keynote address acknowledged all the youths across the country and stated the importance of theme ‘Transforming Food System: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health.
Ms Frances said with the increasing processing food around the globe has affected the nutritious food that a person should eat.
“Now with the negative impact of the food system we have faced problems such as non communicable disease (NDC),” Ms Frances said.
She added non communicable disease is the highest killer in the country today.
Also she added, through the health pandemic, the country’s food system will not withstand, because the need to sustain future food supplies during this pandemic.
“We need to make change to ensure that nutritious and inability of nutritious are safe, available and sustainably produce food for our families.
“The way we produce our food is under pressure, like never before. Total paradigm shift is needed,” Frances said.
Thus, she added at the national level, the biggest concern as the ministry is the country have a new generation who are not interested in rural life, were healthy food is produced.
“As reveal in our recent census. With the higher rate of urban migration, this is a treat towards the agriculture sector and also food supply.
“We found out most cases in our rural communities today, that only their parents live back in the rural villages and homes, but even the young people who stayed back at the rural communities, you will find most of them involve in anti social behaviors. That is a biggest threat to us as a nation,” PS Frances said.
She then encourages young people that the food system in the country is at threat and young people needs to be active participants to change it.
Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs Permanent Secretary (PS), Dr Cedric Alependava said each year; the United Nations decides a theme that is relevant to all global communities and citizens.
However, he said this year Ministry of Agriculture play a very important role in ensuring food security in up held because available of nutritious will definitely make a healthy Youth of a nation.
“Healthy Youth, Healthy Population needs a good food system- with availability healthy food,” Dr Alependava said.
He explained this is because processed food, sugary food, tin foods are full of additives, colorings, flavours, preservatives and as such are second hand and not good for our body.
“What our youth needs are fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables from our own garden to make them healthier,” Dr Alependava said.
He added that this is also inline with the youth policy – six priorities outcomes. They are;
- Education Empowerment
- Economic Empowerment
- Health and Well being
- Sustainable Development
- Leadership, Governance, Peace building, Social Inclusion & Citizen
- Evidence base approaches, Access to information & Provincial implementation strategies
Honiara City Council (HCC) Lord Mayor Eddie Siapu said the youth’s participation at the youth day gives hope to working together in the mission to involve young people in all due necessary process in respective organisations.
“The Honiara City Council cannot achieve its mission and goals without your support. Having you as partners is like to some of the gaps that remain as challenges for the council to provide high quality services to the good people of Honiara.
“I believe that today is not only a time for hearing speeches but a time for networking and start working together as partners, sharing responsibilities, and that we should not be doing the same things that might be causing completion, rather than intervention,” Mr Siapu said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Partners Country Manager Berdi Berdiyev said the International Youth Day marks the contributions that young people makes in their daily lives that contributes to the society.
He said throughout the programs of UNDP they have always focused on different angles and opportunities that relates to food security.
He added in the Solomon Islands 70% are youth population and therefore investment in youths in the present is very important.
By Esther Nuria
Newsroom, Honiara