The Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations Declare
2021 - The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables
Brief Overview:
In general, the goals of program are outreach and assistance:
- To increase awareness of the value of fruit and vegetables for better health outcomes.
- To reduce lossage and waste in the production, harvest, storage, and transportation of fruit and vegetables.
- To promote and improve sustainable food systems.
- To focus on assistance and inclusion of small farmers.
- To adapt and improve technology and approaches to combat food waste.
Essentially, we are not eating enough vegetables. The World Health Organization recommends 400g of fruit and vegetables a day. It's hard to believe that for some it's hard to find and eat enough fruits and vegetables equal to a can of corn or mixed vegetables.
Lack of fruits and vegetables in our diet can lead to increases in gastro-intestinal cancers, ischemic heart disease or stroke according to the FAO publication, Fruit and Vegetables - Your Dietary Essentials.
Barriers to increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables include: availability, affordability, lack of knowledge and competition from processed food products.
The FAO wants its member nations to focus on:
- ways to increase production and consumption of fruits and vegetables to diversify our diet.
- methods to decrease perishability and waste in the food chain.
- education and promotional options to increase awareness of the value of a diversified diet.
References and Resources:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
A Healthy Diet Sustainably Produced
Pocket Guide for a Healthy Diet
Here’s What It Looks Like to Get 8 Servings of Vegetables in a Day
My Plate
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