Colombians Calls For Urgent Approval of Anti-Hunger Law

The president of the Colombian Senate, Roy Barreras, said Friday that it is urgent to approve the Law against Hunger in the South American country as part of what he called "a comprehensive look at food security and sovereignty, rural development and rural economy."

RELATED:
Petro Asks Colombian Armed Groups for Truce During Rainy Season

Barreras' statements were made in the framework of the National Agreement Against Hunger Forum, a meeting organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger through the Mesoamerica Without Hunger Program AMEXCID-FAO.

According to the parliamentary leader, "today we urgently need to pass the Law against Hunger and the tax reform, which are essential to pay for food for Colombians."

Senator César Pachon informed that the objectives of the Law against Hunger would be to guarantee the right to food and reduce the cost of food production. "The only war we are going to wage is the fight against hunger," he added.

In the installation of the Forum, the president of the Senate, Roy Barreras, stated: "life begins by being able to feed oneself. This forum is an initiative of the peasants, who also legislate. Today the Law against hunger is urgently required."

For her part, Sandra Ramírez, from the Comunes party, said: "It is urgent to guarantee the right to dignified and quality food and to promote the implementation of point 1 of the Peace Agreement (of Havana, 2016)," the "Integral Rural Reform (is necessary) to develop products from the countryside."

Meanwhile, the FAO representative in Colombia, Alan Bojanic, indicated that farmers must be given the tools to cultivate the land: "Resources and decisive action by the State are required, the work of the farmer must be dignified," he explained.

Last January, the FAO warned about the dangers of the deepening of "food insecurity," highlighting that Colombia is the South American country with the highest risk of food insecurity.

The assessment was rejected by the then Colombian government of Iván Duque, who requested from FAO that his country be excluded from the report.

In that report, FAO warned that part of the Colombian population would face a significant increase in acute food insecurity (famine) in the coming months, putting their lives and livelihoods at risk.