Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles over the weekend revealed that the government will be rolling out its National Food Policy (NFP) by October even while the government continues to address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
In a Facebook live session, Nograles––Chair of the government’s Zero Hunger Task Force and Co-Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF)––said the NFP should be ready by World Food Day, which is commemorated every year on October 16.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency of coming out with the NFP.
According to Nograles, rather than being a cause for delay, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency of coming out with the NFP.
“It is even more important because we face a pandemic. Experts point out that after the world deals with COVID-19, hunger will be the next problem, as well as poverty,” said the Palace official.
Nograles pointed out that the pandemic has contributed to hunger as it initially disrupted transportation and the movement of cargo, affecting the supply of food in the market.
“With hunger experienced by many and possibly becoming worse… all the more we have to do it [zero hunger] by 2030.”
Notwithstanding the challenges of the pandemic, Nograles said the NFP will still aim to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2, or zero hunger by 2030
The former legislator acknowledged that “it may be more difficult, but we cannot stop trying.”
“With hunger experienced by many and possibly becoming worse… all the more we have to do it [zero hunger] by 2030.”
Per Executive Order No. 101, the NFP “shall outline national priorities based on a comprehensive understanding of the problem of hunger and related issues, and shall provide a roadmap for achieving zero hunger, taking into consideration existing laws and issuances.”
Nograles explained that among the issues the NFP seeks to address are: food production, food accessibility and availability, nutrition, and food resiliency.