Play Your Part On UN World Food Day
by Clover Ng
@ 13 Nov 2013
Wednesday, 16th October 2013 marks the United Nations World Food Day to warn against food wastage when many as much as 842 million people go hungry. It is an alarming amount of people especially when people like us Singaporeans live in a first world country where most are fed by working or by the government providing subsidies. Local residents do their part as well by providing food to those who are in need. However, it seems as though we are oblivion to whatever goes around in the other parts of the world especially third world countries or rather we have no knowledge of the calamity or situation on the other side of the rainbow.
Faced with the problem rising obesity especially in Western countries, perhaps we should consider going on a healthier diet of eating lesser for the amount of energy we need a day and to give those who are starving, food that we do not require on a daily basis. This is especially true when we live on luxurious diets, feasting in fine dining restaurants whilst many aside from the 842 million may only be able to afford dining at their own homes with meager food served on the table.
Also, with more and more people emphasizing on losing the extra pound off the weighing scale, many often do not finish what is served on their plate. It has been reported by the Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that about a third of food produced globally goes to waste, which amounts to about 1.3 billion tonnes a year. Can you imagine how much this will benefit those who are suffering from malnutrition due to undernourished diet or having no diet at all? This is a serious issue that we should all join hands in solving when it is within our reach.