Over 50 vendors are expected to gather at this year’s World Food Day celebrations to be held at the Terevete Park in Avarua on Friday.

Teremarama Anguna-Kamana, Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture, said these vendors have indicated their interest to have a stall on the day.

According to Anguna-Kamana, the Ministry joins the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to celebrate World Food Day, which was founded in 1945. Commemorated by 150 countries, the World Food Day is one of the most celebrated events in the United Nations calendar. 

Celebrating the theme, “Right to foods for a better life and a better future”, Anguna-Kamana explains the day will shine a spotlight on food as a human right, raising awareness worldwide about the need for everyone to have access to a variety of nutritious, affordable, safe and sustainable foods. 

“Food is the third most basic human need after air and water, everyone should have the right to adequate food.”

She said the Ministry appreciated all the local growers/farmers and food producers, who continue to produce food to feed the community and visitors in the Cook Islands.

“They are the backbone to producing foods and preserving traditional foods,” said Anguna-Kamana. “This World Food Day, let us renew our commitment to build a more efficient more inclusive, more resilient and a more sustainable food system that respect everyone’s demand for varied and healthy foods. The right to food is a basic human right.”

The World Food Day event is sponsored by FAO in partnership with Te Tango Enua, Climate Change Cook Islands and Vodafone Cook Islands. 

The event starts at 9am.