Shania Shayal Prasad 
Malnutrition, hidden hunger, and obesity are triple burdens faced in the Pacific, including Fiji which is leading to an increase in non-communicable diseases.
Minister for Agriculture Vatimi Rayalu highlighted this during the launch of the Multi-Country Programming Framework for the Pacific.
Rayalu says along with this, the Ministry of Health statistics reveal that 80% of deaths in Fiji are caused by NCDs.
He stresses a food systems approach is needed, which involves considering the entire food chain.
“Taking into account the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food as well as sustainability, climate change, and the recovery of biodiversity, it requires a transformation of the food system if countries are to reach their Sustainable Development Goal targets, but we cannot do this alone.”
Rayalu says the framework will help build more effective, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient agri-food systems.
14 Pacific Island countries, including Fiji, will benefit from the five-year framework.
This will further assist governments in prioritizing their resources and efforts towards much-needed areas in the agriculture sector.
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