By Muntaha Al-Fadhli
KUWAIT, Jan 16 (KUNA) -- Kuwait ranks first in the Arab region in a global ranking of how well countries can feed their own people, a group of food security specialists revealed.
Food security in Kuwait is not limited to adequate supply, rather, salubrity and food freshness are among factors taken into account in efforts to grant the populace unlimited access to food.
In separate statements to KUNA on Tuesday, a number of food security experts pointed out that concrete steps the Kuwaiti government has taken to address food security has paid ultimate dividends, which has made the country the Arab region's most food secure nation in 2014 and 2017.
Meanwhile, on a global scale of food security, Kuwait claimed the 26th spot out of 113 nations in 2017, according to research carried out by the "Economist Intelligence Unit", a British business providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis.
Addressing this issue, Kuwait's Minister of Information Mohammad Al-Jabri, who presides over the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAF), attributed the country's food security to foolproof plans the government has set.
He cited the World Health Organization's (WHO) comprehensive definition of food security, which stresses the hygiene, safety and wholesomeness of the food consumed.
On food security, PAAAF's Director General Faisal Al-Hasawi underscored sustainability as key to build a food-secure nation, saying that PAAAF has a myriad of plans in the works to prop up the country's agricultural sector.
Al-Hasawi spoke of Kuwait's eagerness to lure investment in agricultural production, adding that foreign exports are significant to keep a steady supply of food.
In a country with a rich maritime tradition, Al-Hasawi's deputy Dr. Ali Al-Fares, said that preserving Kuwait's dwindling fish stocks is crucial to keep food security intact.
He added that increasing fish production is the only way to keep stocks on the rise, citing a number of endeavors PAAAF has undertaken to achieve just that. (end) mf.nam