Kazakhstan to celebrate IOFS Day
Astana, The Gulf Observer: The celebration of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) Day is to be held on 12 December 2022, in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, with participation of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Kazakhstan and all relevant domestic and international stakeholders.
During the event, the IOFS will present the accomplished work implemented throughout the year of 2022; provide a briefing of major outcomes related with the celebration of 2022 as “IOFS Year for Africa”; thank and recognize partners that have jointly implemented activities with the IOFS in different venues for the benefit of all Member States, particularly those located in Africa; and list Member States that benefited from the implementation of IOFS 2022 Year for Africa.
The year of 2022 was chosen as the “IOFS Year for Africa” by the Organization’s 8th Executive Board in December 2021 and, as such, throughout the year the IOFS has been working with African governments and relevant actors/development partners in the African agricultural landscape and launched its activities in different Member States.
The IOFS believes that food security in Africa should and must be possible if we all, international, regional and national institutions, properly supported by our Member States, join hands towards that objective. Basically, the IOFS calls for “Commitment to act jointly towards concrete results for improving food systems in Africa”.
It is important to highlight that the rationale for deciding on the main theme had to do with the fact that Africa was not on track to meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target #2 to end hunger and ensure access by all people to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round and to end all forms of malnutrition. Additionally, the number of hungry people in Africa has risen by 47.9 million since 2014 and now stands at 250.3 million, or nearly one-fifth of the population.
Agriculture is the single greatest opportunity to deliver inclusive economic growth, jobs, and health to the African continent. No region in the world has built a modern economy without first strengthening its agricultural sector. The IOFS is convinced that the demonstration of active solidarity of OIC Member States with the African people who are in desperate need and the determination to commit ourselves to providing the focus on their food security and agricultural development in this very difficult and critical period in the history of the continent should be the top priority of the IOFS and needs to be implemented without any further delay.
