15 Oct 2026

Botswana hopes to raise global awareness about hunger, promote food security, encourage action against malnutrition, food waste and climate stress on agri-food systems, as it celebrates World Food Day in Moshupa today.

The event will be held at Moshupa mini-stadium, where Assistant Minister of Lands and Agriculture Mr Motsamai Motsamai is expected to officiate.

World Food Day is celebrated every October 16, to mark the founding of (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945.

According to Assistant Representative Programmes, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Botswana, Ms Lesedi Mmopelwa the day celebrated food heroes, recognised the efforts of farmers, fishers, food producers and all those across the agri-food value chain who work tirelessly to bring food from farm to table and help nourish communities.

Therefore, she said it encouraged Batswana to look at innovative and sustainable solutions that could support farmers and make local food systems more resilient.

“It is important to us as Batswana because it brings us back to something fundamental to our lives, which is, access to safe, nutritious and affordable food. It is also an important day for recognising famers who play critical role in feeding our communities and strengthening food security,” she emphasised.

On the theme: Innovate today, nourish tomorrow, she said it highlighted the importance of harnessing science, technology, innovation and traditional knowledge to build agri-food systems that are more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Globally, she said it called for collective action to address hunger, improve food security and nutrition, and ensure that food production met the needs of a growing population without compromising resources for future generations.

For rural communities such as Moshupa, she said the theme was a reminder that innovation did not always have to involve advanced technology, it could include adopting climate-smart farming practices, improving water management, using drought-resistant crop varieties, diversifying food production and applying indigenous knowledge to preserve biodiversity and strengthen resilience to climate change.

By combining local knowledge with modern agricultural science and technology, Ms Mmopelwa said communities could improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, increase access to nutritious food and create sustainable livelihood opportunities, particularly for smallholder farmers, women and young people.

She highlighted that FOA had supported Botswana’s climate-smart agriculture approaches that helped farmers adapt to drought, erratic rainfall and water scarcity.

These, she said included integrating traditional farming knowledge with modern agricultural practices, improving water management and strengthening livestock feed production.

She said FAO recognised the vital role women played across agri-food systems, from producing and processing food to trading and selling agricultural products.

Ms Mmopelwa indicated that FAO promoted a gender-responsive approach to agricultural development, with an emphasis on strengthening rural livelihoods and ensuring that women could access the knowledge, technologies and opportunities they need to thrive. ENDS