Malawi Dialogue Pushes for Universal Right to Food Access
The event underscored ongoing challenges in achieving food security in Malawi, a country where agriculture plays a crucial role in the economy and livelihoods.
LILONGWE, Malawi— A national dialogue in Lilongwe on Wednesday emphasized the right to food as a fundamental human right, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization's guidelines on food security, writes Tionge Hara.
Elizabeth Namaona, acting national coordinator for the Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET), stressed the importance of Malawians' right to be free from hunger.
"We want to see farming communities and Malawians in general having regular and unrestricted access to adequate food," Namaona said.
The dialogue, organized by the Right to Food Coalition, called for a shift in public policies from "benevolence to citizen's right."
Habiba Osman, executive secretary for the Malawi Human Rights Commission and keynote speaker, highlighted the dialogue's significance amid rising fertilizer prices nationwide.
"It is important for humans to have adequate, available, and accessible food. This can help us achieve the goal of zero hunger by 2030," Osman said.
Some participants suggested broadening the topic to include "Right and Responsibility to Food," citing concerns about promoting dependency.
CISANET advocated for a legal and policy framework to govern food and nutrition programming in Malawi and promoted public awareness of the right to adequate food.
The event underscored ongoing challenges in achieving food security in Malawi, a country where agriculture plays a crucial role in the economy and livelihoods.