The main commodity being highlighted in this year’s World Food Day celebration is water thus, the theme Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.
The bell rung and I felt relieved, knowing that lunch awaited me. I couldn’t get out of that English class fast enough to drop my book in the dormitory, grab my plate, fork and cup and make my way to the dining hall. As usual, I was accompanied by my class buddy and roommate, Reginal Garoleo. As was the usual boyish culture, we walked through the assembly hall and started drumming our plates with the spokes of our forks, announcing our presence to the chef and kitchen hands we were at the dining all doors. The chorus of glass plates and forks clanking grew louder as other Form 7 boys from other dormitories joined us. The boys from the higher forms were better behaved during this time. Amidst the clanking and rattling we noticed there was louder commotion, cluttering of trays and pots, and the anecdotal vulgar coming from the kitchen and from the dining hall.
When the boarding master eventually opened the doors, I couldn’t help but marveled at how much food each table was covered with. They had every food type on display. This was like a dream for a child from an outer island – each had salad, main course food, cordial, and even ice-cream. The boarding master managed to bring the excitement and commotion under control and remarked;
“Today is Tuesday the 16th of October, it is a day set aside as the World Food Day and the British High Commission Office here in Port Vila has kindly sponsored the lunch for Malapoa College students so you can all join in the world celebration of food”.
The year was 1984 and I was in Form 7. I enjoyed the heartiest lunch that day and, every year thereafter I have come to remember the 16th day of October as World Food Day. Each year is treated differently and the World Food Day in 1984 carried the theme Women in Agriculture.
This year (2023) the theme is Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind. Let us join in today’s celebration, remembering to respect, preserve and use water wisely. This them is very important for Vanuatu and we are in a very dry period right now.
Happy World Food Day to everyone, especially the primary food producers and children of Vanuatu.
Chief Executive Officer – Vanuatu Primary Producers Authority (16 October 2023)