Sunday, August 11, 2013

FAO Launches World Food Day Media Award in Kenya

The award aims at recognising outstanding contributions to food security by the Kenyan media


By Ochieng’ Ogodo

Journalist-Nairobi

[NAIROBI] The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has launched the World Food Day Media Award. It was launched in Kenya on 9 August.
The award is aimed at creating and encouraging the highest standards of excellence in agricultural reporting focusing on food and agricultural issues and honour Kenyan journalists under 30 for their exceptional journalistic work in covering the area.
The award will be will be one of the build-up activities towards this year’s World Food Day to be commemorated on 16 October.
The official World Food Day theme this year is “Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition”.
About 870 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished and unsustainable models of development are degrading services providing natural environment. This is threatening ecosystems and biodiversity needed for our future food supply. There have been numerous calls for radical shift in our agriculture and food systems.
World Food Day offers an opportunity to explore and reflect on how to bring about the future we want.
It is against this backdrop that FAO in Kenya has decided to recognise outstanding contributions made by the media in Kenya.
Journalists have a vital role to play in promoting understanding of food and agricultural issues among the public, especially on challenges related to food security.
“They can help by educating their communities, so that their audiences are aware of the issues affecting food security,” says Robert Allport, FAO Representative in Kenya.
The World Food Day Media Award in Kenya is open to those under 30 years, and is designed to elevate the standards of excellence in print media and offer winners a boost in marketing and exposure.
The award places a premium on compelling stories occurring in Kenya that report problems and solutions related to food security.
FAO says online applications are now open for submission and will close on 30 September midnight, East African time. There will be several prizes.

 For more on World Food Day 2013 visit http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/en/