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Food Security Discussed In Belize
posted (October 1, 2012)
All around the world, there are millions of people who are suffering from hunger, and today, representatives from those of the Latin America and the Caribbean met in Belize to discuss possible solutions that can be applied in this region.

It was held at the Radisson Fort George Hotel, and it was led by the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System organization - SELA. This 3-day conference is centered on the regional cooperation in the area of food security.

Here's an excerpt of the address that the SELA representative gave to conference:

Ambassador Carlos Vivero, Director of Relations - SELA
"Our region is one of the largest food producing regions in the world but out of its 589 million inhabitants 218 million live in poverty and out of 53 million still suffer from hunger and malnutrition."

"Although there is a long way to go the region is already designing policies to allow a greater portion of that needy population to ensure its basic food consumption through various state programs for direct transfers of income all through social security systems."

"The region has an enormous potential, since it has approximately 576 million corresponding to 30% of the world's total. However sustainable development policies are required in order to take advantage of those lands so as to control degradation and pollutions."

"There are also pending tasks we still face; probably the most urgent of which is building more equitable societies. As part of the agriculture agenda this would imply among other things to design policies to control speculation of food prices to support farmers through loans, insurance, protection of family farming to finance SMSEs and to provide training and technical assistance. All of this is possible and the proof thereof is some of the excellent initiatives already undertaken throughout the region."

The conference, which was partially sponsored by the Belizean Ministry of Agriculture, continues until Wednesday.


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