NAIROBI: The World Animal Protection (WAP) is advocating for a major overhaul of global food systems, emphasizing the need for practices that are equitable, humane, and sustainable to ensure food security and justice for all.
According to Kenya News Agency, during a webinar conference before the World Food Day, Sally Kahiu, External Affairs Lead at WAP, highlighted the dire need for a shift in how over 70 billion land animals used for food are raised annually. Industrial production methods, she noted, are failing animals, ecosystems, and people involved in the food industry. “This system is fundamentally flawed, and we must act now to create a food system that is not only environmentally friendly but also sustainable and equitable for those who work within it,” Kahiu stated.
Kahiu emphasized the interconnectedness of planet health, food systems, and animal welfare, suggesting that by adopting more equitable, humane, and sustainable food systems, a more secure future could be ensured for all. She urged gove
rnments to develop stronger Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that align with the latest climate science to transform food systems and limit global warming.
Moreover, WAP is advocating for significant changes including a move away from harmful industrial animal agriculture practices. “African governments need to discourage the entrenchment of these systems from the global north and instead promote inherent African traditional food systems that are built on principles of nutrient circularity and agroecology,” Kahiu added.
The organization also called on climate financiers to redirect funds to support indigenous small-scale farmers who are pivotal in providing affordable food and sustaining local communities.
World Food Day, first celebrated in 1979, occurs annually on October 16. This year’s theme, “Right to foods for a better life and a better future,” aims to promote awareness and action towards a more just and sustainable management of global food resources.
