Food shortage worrisome - De Graaf

THATO CHWAANE
Staff Writer | Thursday July 10, 2008 00:00

Launching a collaboration recipe competition by the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board (BAMB) and Heart Foundation Botswna on Tuesday evening, De Graaf said there is a need to promote local production in the advent of the global food shortage expected in the coming years. The initiative is meant to promote healthy eating habits and consumption of indigenous products.

He said BAMB wants to increase demand for local foods and stimulate local production. He, however, said it would be pointless to increase production if the local market cannot absorb increased supply.

He said there should be increased support for local producers. De Graaf said that by increasing local production, it would reduce importation of agricultural products and create job opportunities for rural dwellers and alleviate poverty.

The competitors that will come from both the formal and informal categories are expected to contribute to a recipe book on nutritious and indigenous foods. The winning recipes will attract P10,000, with runner up prizes of P5,000 and P2,500 respectively.

Giving the keynote address, Professor Kiran Bhagat said that people have moved from the cattle-post to the car and forgotten to exercise in the process. He said Batswana eat the wrong food because they are westernised. He noted that the world was battling with 'over nutrition'.

He added that in the United States obesity among passengers has prompted re-engineering of airline seats. He also said that research in the US shows that young women are developing osteoporosis and this is because of consuming junk such as fizzy drinks.

Bhagat emphasised the need to introduce healthy eating habits. Bhagat said that 80 percent of children who are overweight at 12 years of age would be excessively fat adults. He said obesity produces all sorts of ailments.

The Chief Executive Officer of BAMB, Masego Mphathi, said traditional foods have been replaced by refined foods that are responsible for the diseases that affect people.
He said in the past, the ancestors subsisted on wholesome foods and enjoyed good health into old age.