WINDHOEK- Bunya, a tiny village in the Kapako Constituency, Kavango West Region has been chosen as the host for this year’s Southern African Development Community (SADC) World Food Day celebration.
This was announced by Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF), Percy Misika. The event is set for next week Tuesday under this year’s theme “Our actions are our future: a Zero Hunger world by 2030 is possible”.
Misika said the SADC committee of Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security during its meetings held in Ezulwini, ESwatini, in May 2017 approved the roll-out of the Model for the Regional World Food Day commemoration to be hosted in the countries designated as Chair of SADC.
In a media statement on Friday, Misika said as the current chair of SADC, Namibia agreed to host and adopt the new regional approach.
“As part of the regional approach, Ministers from South Africa (the immediate former chair of SADC), Tanzania (the next Chair) of SADC, the SADC Secretariat and a Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Botswana; as well as different High Commissioners and Ambassadors to Namibia have been invited to take part in the celebrations,” he said.
World Food Day is celebrated annually around the world in honour of the founding date of the FAO of the United Nations. The main objective of World Food Day is to create awareness around issues of global food insecurity.
Misika said his ministry in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and with support from the broader UN family and private sector in Namibia is observing World Food Day on 30 October 2018.
At the event, Misika said government ministries and agencies as well as local private sector companies will showcase their products and services in the agricultural, fisheries, forestry, food and water sectors.
Bunya is a village located 45 kilometers west of Rundu. Major employers in the village include a Catholic mission and a hospital, while other residents derive their income from farming.
The village school, Bunya Combined School, provides places for children in grades one to ten. A bakery supplies bread; other produce is bought from larger nearby towns such as Rundu.