On Wednesday the ‘RISE Good Food Revolution’ was launched at the Orchid Garden Conference Room, Union. In attendance were representatives of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the UK and Morocco, as well as commerce minister Emma Hippolyte and Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy who has added the event to the list of regular Nobel Laureate Week activities. “It’s not typical that we talk about food during Nobel Laureate Week,” host Barbara Jacobs observed. “We normally talk about literature, economics and excellence. Clearly Her Excellency has the broad view that unless a country is healthy, unless we make the connection between how we use our natural resources, how we incorporate that into our various sectors like public health . . . then we are working in vain.”
In his turn RISE director Steven King reminded attendants that the organisation is dedicated to the healthy development of people: “It is committed to the concept of holistic health. We believe health is not just the absence of disease but it is the presence of the wellness of the complete human being.” King said the project’s raison d’etre was to create a national environment that promotes healthy food consumption. “We have defined healthy food consumption as eating food that is free of all contamination – from antibiotics to pesticides, to altered genetic material. Good food is what helps to promote good health.”
King revealed that some 65% of cancers are environmentally related, caused by contaminants in our foods or soils. He cited the economic benefits from the project including jobs both in the public and private sectors. He invited the public – farmers, business owners, companies, organisations – to partner with the initiative whose call to action is “Grow, buy, consume organic”. A campaign mascot conceptualized and crafted by Petra Auguste was introduced at the launch. It will be a key player in the Good Food Revolution, funded by the United Nations Development Program and the ministries of agriculture and sustainable development.
