For the 3rd consecutive year, Caritas Kurunegala – Janasetha organized an event to commemorate this year’s World Food Day. Under the flagship programme on sustainable agriculture, titled “Substantiation of Community Institutions for Sustainable Agriculture to Ensure Food Security”, a commemoration event was held on 30th October 2017. A group of about 200 project beneficiaries participated at the event.
Welcoming the participants, Rev. Fr. Jamika Perera, Director, Caritas Kurunegala-Janasetha reminded the right to food protects the rights of all human beings to be free from hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. According to him, during the project implementation stage, a special emphasis has also been given to explore the prevention of malnutrition among the young children in the Diocese of Kurunegala.
Chief Guest, Rt. Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Kurunegala said that in a response to an appeal by Pope Francis four years ago to fight hunger and poverty everywhere, the International Caritas Confederation has launched a global campaign called “ONE HUMAN FAMILY: FOOD FOR ALL” with a view to help nearly one billion suffering people worldwide. Meanwhile His Lordship shared his own cultivation experiences with the participants and pointed out how the farming becomes a therapeutic activity which in turn reduce the stress and increase unity within the family.
In view of the World Food Day, Janasetha conducted a home gardening competition and the winners received awards and Mrs. Shanthi Dammika who won the 1st place shared her experiences in participating at the Food Security Project and how she received support from her family to win this accolade.
Delivering the guest lecture, Mr. Sarath Jayawardena, Consultant, Child Nutrition, Development, and Training spoke on the locally available plants and leaves that should be added to the daily diet of the children to include the missing nutrients. Cooking demonstrations were also held to provide knowledge on healthy food preparations for children to increase palatability.
Caritas led food security programme is implemented in coordination with Caritas Diocesan Centres in Kurunegala, Anuradhapura and Batticaloa, with the funding assistance from Caritas Norway with the back donor funding from NORAD as part of the global effort to end hunger.
