There are about 795 million people in the world who do not have enough food to lead a ''healthy, active'' life. The World Food Program says one in nine people on earth go hungry every day. A majority of these people live in developing countries where 12 per cent of the population is undernourished. If these figures don't shock us, here's more. The UN estimates that 3.1 million children under five years of age die every year from lack of proper nutrition. Again, most of them are in the developing, or poorer countries of Asia and Africa where income and social inequalities persist, where strife is rife and political unheavals are part of daily life. Countries in the Middle East like Syria, Iraq and Yemen, swept by war, also suffer from acute food shortages. In Yemen alone, 14.4 million of the population are starving. Rebel Houthis even target humanitarian aid convoys. In Syria, President Bashar Al Assad's forces used hunger as a tool to flush out militants and rebels.
How can the UAE help in such bleak conditions, where food is scarce, where hope is lost for people caught in the crossfire of war, or famine? Food security may be a long way off for these countries, but His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is keen to ease their suffering through a food bank he is seeking to establish in the region and across the world with private and public sector support. What better way than food to reach out and touch lives? The UAE Food Bank is an ambitious project that will ensure no child or adult goes to bed on a empty stomach. It is also a path-breaking initiative against wastage. Surplus fresh and canned food will be distributed to those who cannot afford it. Food banks are common in the West, but this is a praise-worthy and novel idea for the region. The UAE is known for its prosperity and potential. Now's the time to cut back - on excess food - and share it with those in need. It lends new meaning to the Year of Giving.
Urgent action needed as heatwaves become more frequent; trees, greenery needed to cool urban 'heat islands'
opinion6 months ago
Writing will plumb the depths of mediocrity further unless as readers we seek uplifting themes, and as writers, we delve into our souls before punching each word down
opinion6 months ago
opinion6 months ago
It must watch for what is coming to the market, and make that a regular part of board conversation
opinion6 months ago
Schools across much of Asia are simply not equipped to deal with the growing consequences of climate change
opinion6 months ago
While green finance is accelerating economic diversification and job creation in the region and has the potential to attract foreign direct investment, the UAE’s Hydrogen Vision augurs well for a diverse energy landscape
opinion6 months ago