The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has designated 2021 as a special year to recognise the health and economic benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption. The event is intended to help promote healthier diets around the world, as well as acknowledging the unique role that agricultural crops play in food security and farmer livelihoods.
Scientists say that access to fresh fruits and vegetables can help protect against non-communicable diseases, like cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Collectively, non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, potentially costing the global economy $47 trillion by 2030.
Consuming the right amount of fresh fruits and vegetables contributes to healthy growth in children, improved immunity, better mental health, and a longer life. As the image below shows, the color of a fruit or vegetable can be indicative of the nutrients it contains and benefits it conveys. Ensuring a mixture of them is key to a healthy diet. Food
Image: Europeansting.com
New technologies could help our food systems become more sustainable and efficient, but unfortunately the agricultural sector has fallen behind other sectors in terms of technology adoption.
With research, increasing investments in new agriculture technologies and the integration of local and regional initiatives aimed at enhancing food security, the platform is working with over 50 partner institutions and 1,000 leaders around the world to leverage emerging technologies to make our food systems more sustainable, inclusive and efficient.
Source: europeansting.com