TEHRAN – The national document on food security has been approved with the aim of removing obstacles to agricultural production, supporting farmers and crop producers, and defining a comprehensive system of supply and demand.

In the last calendar month (ended on July 22), President Ebrahim Raisi assigned all the related executive bodies to implement the document, IRNA reported.

Representatives from 26 government organizations and more than 150 experts have studied different aspects of the food security document to be finally approved.

Food security means equitable access of all people to sufficient, healthy and nutritious food throughout their lives, one of the main pillars of the authority and independence of any country.

Statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that in countries with high and above-average incomes, 1.9 percent and 4.9 percent of their total populations are facing severe food insecurity, respectively.

In countries with lower than average and low income people, the figure is 16.9 percent and 29.3 percent, respectively

 The Vice Presidency for Science and Technology plans to implement 50 national projects to increase food security, IRNA reported on Saturday.

The world is moving towards food insecurity, which is closely related to the physical and mental security of society, so all countries have taken steps to make this strategic concept one of the priorities.

However, experts believe that the phenomenon is lurking more in developing countries, so they should formulate and implement strategic policies for the development of their food security.

Most countries are trying to compensate for the reduction of natural and food resources with the help of technologies such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, and other emerging technologies.

Iran is planning to deal with the issue by creating and expanding the ecosystem of technology, knowledge, and creativity in the food industry. Knowledge-based companies are also known as the main players in this field, who can save the country from future crises.

In this line, the Biotechnology Development Headquarters will implement 50 national projects in the three fields of “agriculture and horticulture”, “livestock, poultry and aquatics”, and “food industries” aiming to save foreign exchange, increase production and develop the local market in the country.

Out of 50, some 7 projects are related to agriculture and horticulture, 38 to livestock, poultry, and aquatics, and 5 projects are related to the food industry, which will be implemented.

In November 2022, Health Minister Bahram Einollahi Iran is the leading country in the region in all health indicators, including food security.

Unsafe food causes 200 diseases from mild illnesses to cancers, he added.

Every year, about 600 million people in the world are harmed by contaminated and unsafe food, and this means that one out of every 10 people in the world is harmed by this issue, the minister noted.

He emphasized the important role of food in preventing non-communicable diseases and added that $110 billion are spent annually in the world to treat diseases caused by contaminated food.

MG