We reflect on food safety with the Dominican Ambassador to the United Nations

Last Friday the conference “Chronicle about World Food Safety and Hunger” by the President of the World Food Safety Committee and the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the agencies of the United Nations specialized on the fight against hunger and poverty, Mario Arvelo was celebrated at the Conference Room of the University.

The activity carried out in the University has focused on the reflection on food safety at present from an anthropological and social approach, analysing the history of human cultures and including the present challenges in this scope.

Arvelo has highlighted that one out of four people survives with less than one dollar and 25 cents a day, i.e. 30 euros a month to cover basic needs. This is why each year, between 25 and 36 million people die from hunger and from diseases consequence of malnutrition. “Hunger kills one hundred thousand people a day”, he declared.

To raise awareness, talk about hunger and malnutrition, buy from small producers, sow their own orchards, avoid processed food, preference for organic food and increase the variety of food products were some of the recommendations given by the Ambassador to the United Nations for each one of us to help reduce this problem of global significance.

During the activity, Arvelo counted on the presence of the Ambassador of the Dominican Ambassador in Spain, Olivo Rodríguez; the Vice-Dean of Students and University Communication Services, María Isabel Abradelo; and the Director of International Relations of the Fundación Universitaria San Pablo CEU, Rosa Heredero.

Back to basics

The first humans developed technical skills that helped them eat in increasing amounts and quality as they reached the top of the food chain. The invention of agriculture opened the door to promises of wealth and wellbeing but today not everyone enjoys the benefits of this productive revolution: one out of six people lack the means to produce or buy food, hunger being today’s scandal. And here is when the question arises: What can we do as individuals to leave hunger in the past? Arvelo has tried to answer it.

About the Food Safety Committee

The Food Safety Committee (FSC) is the main inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for the collaboration of all parties interested in order to guarantee food safety and nutrition. The Committee reports to the General Assembly of the United Nations through the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and the FAO Conference.