In my speaking at our ceremony commemorating World Food Day, I noted an urgent call to action for the benefit of the health and wellness of our children, families and wider society.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized the need for an urgent and immediate change. The limitations due to the pandemic has made it even harder for local farmers - who are already grappling with climate variability and extremes - to sell their harvests. Rising poverty in Belize is demanding an increased need for sustainable and available food supplies.

Of our 400,000+ population, 42 percent of us live in poverty in both urban and rural communities. According to UNICEF, 50 percent of Belizean children under age 15 are classified as poor. Disproportionately, only one-fifth of our nations’ population is responsible for farming and livestock production.

Despite efforts to mitigate the impact of food deserts, poor nutrition, and food insecurity, the contradictions could not be more stark. A vast majority of impoverished Belizeans are hungry or undernourished, while large numbers are chronically overweight due to a poor diet.

There has never been a more urgent need to transform the way Belize produces and consumes food. Food insecurity presents a multi-dimensional threat to many Belizeans, and it requires a concerted and multi-sectoral response.