Gandhi’s 155th birth anniversary: “Let Gandhi’s teachings help us address global food insecurity” – Pres Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali believes countries must examine the teachings of the late Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi on food security in order to tackle the current food crisis that is plaguing the world.
The Head of State pointed out that countries around the world are contributing to their own food insecurity by forgetting how to feed themselves locally. To this end, he noted that the world should turn to Gandhi and examine his teachings on food security to help address the global food crisis.
“To forget how to feed ourselves locally is just not an economic failure, it is an ethical one… And it’s precisely where we find ourselves today, entangled in a global food crisis that has left us far too dependent on fragile international supply chains, devastated by climate change, and at the mercies of profiteers. And that is why here in Guyana, we are working on transforming our agriculture into a food ecosystem, encouraging young people to be part of it and to be part of the global solution. Gandhi’s answer to food crisis was simple and yet powerful – self-reliance… He believed that the strength of a nation or a community lies in its ability to feed itself,” the President stated.

According to Ali, the relevance of Gandhi’s self-reliance goal is evident today and is being adopted in the Caribbean Community’s food security initiative to reduce the Region’s high food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, which Guyana is leading under his stewardship.
Quoting Gandhi, “To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves”, the Guyanese leader spoke about the disconnect between people and the earth especially the younger generation and the concerning disregard for agriculture.
“How did we become a world where some still feel that farming, kitchen gardens or simply growing our own food is beneath them… That mindset is misguided and dangerous. When we lose touch with the land, when we forget the connection with the soil and food and on our plates, we forget the very source of life itself,” he asserted.
According to President Ali, Gandhi had warned about overconsumption when he said, “The earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs but not every man’s greed.”
Currently, some 800 million people go to bed hungry each night and according to the United Nations, an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted or spoilt, with 60 per cent of all food wastage occurring at the household level.

Reform of global food system
The Head of State noted that in order to fix these issues, there must be reform of the global food system.
“We need to emphasise access to nutritious foods as a basic right of every human being. We must also ensure that we balance the need to produce more food with protection of the environment. Gandhi’s philosophy of moderation and simplicity should challenge us also to rethink how we eat. Reducing food wastage is necessary. We cannot continue to keep eating as if the food barrel has no bottom. We cannot continue to waste food while so many go to bed hungry. Gandhi urged us to be more responsible with our choices [when] he said, “Live simple so that others may simply live”,” the President stated.
The Guyanese Leader made these remarks at the Gandhi Jayanti Celebration 2024 hosted by the Indian High Commission in Georgetown and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) to commemorate the 155th birth anniversary of Gandhi.
During Wednesday’s event held at the site of the Gandhi statue in the Promenade Gardens, President Ali also underlined the Indian leader’s work towards the promotion of peace and non-violence. He said Gandhi taught the example of how one small man can made a difference in the world with no backing – something the Head of State noted that Guyana was trying to emulate in its push for global peace and respect for sovereignty.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Indian High Commissioner, Dr Amit Telang, who lauded Guyana’s diversity which fosters a multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual society where everyone brings together their own values and principles, striving for a better society and country.
The Indian diplomat also reflected on Gandhi’s principles of peace and non-violence and the need to uphold these values for conflict prevention and betterment of the world.
“Today is the day to remember Mahatma Ghandhi and more importantly, his contributions to global peace, global understanding and universal brotherhood… So on this day, as we commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s 155th birth anniversary, let us not forget his life, let us not forget the lessons and the values and principles that he gave us, because that is the only way we can create a better world for future generations,” Dr Telang stated.
Wednesday’s event also commemorated the 120th birth anniversary of Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri – India’s second Prime Minister. (G8)