As the World Food Day was celebrated yesterday in the country, the annual Best School Farm Awards for School Agriculture Program (SAP) was the highlight of the event.
Students and teachers from different schools were recognized for successful agricultural programs in various categories.
A sustainable and well-managed School Agriculture Program is seen as an important effort to help Bhutan achieve zero hunger.
Zero Hunger by 2030 is the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2.The World Food Day this year was marked on the theme- Zero World Hunger by 2030 is Possible.
Zero hunger, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, means working together to ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to safe, healthy and nutritious food they need.
Today, over 820 million people are suffering chronic undernourishment, according to the latest FAO 2018 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report.
In Bhutan, more than 10,000 households in the country reported to have experienced food insufficiency, according to the Population and Housing Census of Bhutan (PHCB) 2017 Report.
The School Agriculture Program engages students in agricultural activities within the school campus.
Desang Dorji, the Deputy Chief Program Officer of the education ministry believes the program, which also aims to encourage students to see farming as a career option, could help accelerate the achievement of the zero hunger goal.
“If we continue the same program by engaging more number of youths, I believe we will not have to wait till 2030. We will be able to attain that state before 2030. And I think we will be successful only if the parents support us,” Desang Dorji said.
The event also saw the schools exhibit various food products.
Vegetable cultivation is by far the most common activity undertaken by the schools under the SAP. Some 290 schools are engaged in vegetable farming and produce about 177 metric tons of vegetables in a year.
Poultry, piggery and mushroom cultivation are also picking up.
From just six schools in 2000, the program today is flourishing in 315 schools.
The FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of the organization in 1945. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar.
These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diet for all.
