Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania – MVIWATA held a national symposium of World Food Day on 16th October 2020 at Mtwara region, Masasi District, in Chiwale village where more than 200 smallholder farmers and members of MVIWATA attended the event.
World Food Day (WFD) which is observed on the 16th of October every year is celebrated in many countries and commemorates the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations established in 1945. As the Food and Agriculture Organization marks 75 years since its establishment, it has chosen “Grow, nourish, sustain together. Our actions are our future.” as the 2020 World Food Day theme.
In MVIWATA, the focus was on the promotion of locally grown fresh nutritious crops, fruits and vegetables. The overall objectives were to make awareness on the importance of local seed exchange by smallholder farmers, Cook and eat locally grown foods, reveal the results of research on the effectiveness of indigenous systems of productions versus the conventional means, Observance of farmers’ demonstration plots and promotion of activities pertaining to sustainable food and nutrition sovereignty on aspects of environmental conservation and income generation.
The meeting was also attended by a guest of honor who is the Executive Director of Masasi District. Other local government officers and leaders also attended the forum.
In commemorating a World Food Day 2020 MVIWATA also held a special radio program at MVIWATA FM 106.7 The program focused on discussing the concepts of food sovereignty and food production systems that are farmers’ centred and oriented and that meets the needs of the farmers and consumers. The special radio program was attended by students from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) who are doing field practical trainings at MVIWATA. The other participants were MVIWATA staffs
