FAO gives technical assistance to Zero Hunger plan

The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Transformation, Forestry and Fisheries, has received technical assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to support the implementation of selected activities of the national Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative (ZHCI) action plan of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The draft action plan will adopt a holistic and multi-sectoral approach, aimed at improving food security and strengthening aspects of the agricultural sector.

Conroy Huggins has been contracted by the FAO as national consultant to assist the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Transformation, Forestry and Fisheries to prepare an action plan to support the implementation of selected activities under the national Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative.

To this end, a workshop will be held today, Friday, November 17, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room, commencing at 9 a.m., to solicit information on the current levels of stakeholder engagement, the past and existing zero hunger initiatives being conducted and proposed activities to be supported under the current FAO technical cooperation project.

The development of the action plan will consider the following: food security and nutrition; the international volatile food and input prices affecting SVG; the levels of productivity and competitiveness in the food and agricultural sector; the level of food import dependency; the rapid dietary and epidemiological transition in the country; to strengthen the governance structure to support the zero hunger initiatives.