World Food Day 16 Oct | Grow Nurture and Sustain Together

World Food Day is founded by FAO (Food and Agricultural Organizations) in 1979. World food day has lot of implications. It tried to cover the different attributes which are peculiarly helpful for human kind and eco system as a whole. The different parameters for world food day are enumerated below.

·         Origin

·         Objectives

·         Theme and Action Plan

·         Time to Build

·         Digital Technologies

·         Specific Duty

·         World Food Day Poster Contest

·         Key Facts on WFD

v  Origin:

World food day is celebrated every year around the world on 16^th October. It is also called as ‘Food Engineer’ day. This year World Food Day will be observed for the 40^th time. The day is celebrated widely by many other organizations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas

This auspicious occasion will also mark the 75^th Anniversary of the founding of the FAO of the United Nations. WFD was established by FAO’s member countries at the organization’s 20^th general conference in November 1979. More than 150 countries celebrated WFD. 

v  Objectives:

a.    Encourage to increase agricultural food production.

b.    Fight against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

c.    Economic and technical coordination among member nations.

d.    Increase public awareness about hunger in the world.

e.    Attract attention towards food and agricultural development.

f.     To maintain the food prices.

v  Theme and Acton Plan:

Since 1981 WFD has adopted a different theme each year in order to provide a common focus. On 16^th October 2020 WFD theme enters its 40^th year. World Food Day is a day of action against hunger.

World Food Day specifies Theme for every year. The Theme for the Year 2020 is,

 Theme 2020: “Grow, Nourish and Sustain Together:

Your Actions are your Future.”

v  Theme:

The COVID-19 global health crisis has been a time to reflect on things we truly cherish and our most basic needs. These uncertain times have made many of us regenerate our appreciation for a thing that some take for granted and many go without: food.

Here, Food is the essence of life and the basis of our cultures and communities. Preserving access to safe and nutritious food is and will continue to be an essential part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for poor and vulnerable communities, who are hit hardest by the pandemic and resulting economic shocks.

In a moment like this, it is more important than ever to recognize the need to support our food heroes - farmers and workers throughout the food system, who are making sure that food makes its way from farm to fork even amid disruptions as unprecedented as the current COVID-19 crisis.

Member Countries, the private sector and civil society need to make sure that our food systems grow a variety of food to nourish a growing population and sustain the planet, together.

We all have a role to play, from increasing the overall demand for nutritious food by choosing healthy, to not letting sustainable habits fall by the wayside, despite these uncertain times. Read more about how your everyday actions can make an impact

v  Time to Build:

During recent decades the world has made significant progress in improving agricultural productivity. Though we have more than enough food to feed everyone, our food systems are out of balance. Hunger, obesity, environmental degradation, loss of agro-biological diversity, post-harvest losses and a lack of adequate food chain are only some of the issues that underline this disparity.

World Food Day is calling for global harmony to help all populations, and especially the most vulnerable, to recover from the crisis, and to make food systems more resilient and robust so they can withstand increasing volatility and climate shocks, deliver affordable and sustainable healthy diets for all, and decent livelihoods for food system workers. This will require improved social protection schemes and new opportunities offered through digitalization and e-commerce, but also more sustainable agricultural practices that preserve the Earth’s natural resources, our health, and the climate.

v  Digital Technologies

Digital technologies are a vital key to transforming the way food is produced, processed, traded and consumed and building more resilient and robust food systems. New technologies promise revolutionary changes for smallholder farmers. It typically includes satellite imaging, remote sensing and mobile and block chain Apps with the potential to optimize food chains, increase access to nutritious foods, reduce post harvest losses, improve water management, fight against pests and diseases, monitor forests or prepare farmers for disasters.

Improved data analysis will also help governments in developing countries to make better decisions. FAO is ready to support countries as they identify partnerships to make this a reality, including investment opportunities from the private sector. This will be crucial to build the necessary infrastructure - broadband connections, data service providers – and to host data centres or cloud platforms that support big databases with vital information. FAO can offer sound technical advice on how better regulation and adequate training can pave the way to a digital future for food and agriculture.

v  Specific Duty:

Each and every individual across our food sector plays an important role in ensuring access toward nutritious food. Consumers have the power to influence what is produced through healthy food choices, which in turn contributes to more sustainable food systems. It is rather effective to maintain food safety across the globe.

Countries, decision-makers and private businesses need to accelerate and scale up actions to strengthen food systems and the livelihoods of people who work across the food system and make sure that food makes its way from farm to fork, despite challenges such as pandemics.

The Friends of World Food Day help to promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger, and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.

They come from various sectors –the private sector, mainstream and specialized media, international organizations, civil society, academia and more. Together they are using their influence and networks to make WFD an international success so that we achieve the Zero Hunger by 2030 as a Reality.

v  World Food Day Poster contest:

The competition is specifically for the different age groups lies from 05 to 19 years. The aim is to use your imagination and create a poster of your favourite food hero at work. Take a photo or scan your poster and submit your entry by filling out the form on our website. The deadline is 6 November 2020.

Three winners in each age category will be selected by our jury and announced here in December. Winners will be promoted by FAO offices around the world and receive a surprise gift bag and Certificate of Recognition. Link for the same is given below.

http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/contest/en/

v  Key Facts on WFD

Action Time: A steady increase in hunger since 2014 together with rising obesity, clearly indicates the need to accelerate and scale up actions to strengthen food systems and protect people's livelihoods.

Grow, Nourish, And Sustain: Today, only 09 plant species account for nearly 66% of total crop production, despite the fact that there are at least 30,000 edible plants. We need to grow a variety of food to nourish people and sustain the whole ecosystem.

Future Food Systems: Our future food systems need to provide affordable and healthy diets for all and decent livelihoods for food system workers, while preserving natural resources and biodiversity and tackling challenges such as climate change.

It acts as collaborative action of 150 countries is what makes World Food Day one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. They promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure healthy diets for all.

World Food Day 2020 marks the 75^th anniversary of FAO in an exceptional moment as countries around the world deal with the widespread effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a time to look into the future we need to build together.

Reference Video:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDul7uf7pcbM_kWCEaA9WvA

Situational Analysis for Part A FSSAI Mains

 

Situational Analysis

The term Situational Analysis refers to Collection of methods that managers use to analyze an organizations environment, capabilities, customers and business organization.

In simple way it is a way to establish the core competencies that could be sustained for a long term and act as Sustainable Competitive Advantage.

Nowadays the concept is truly an indicative regarding the actual knowledge and acquaintance with commercial implementation. It is again act as imperative source for many examinations like competitive exams, FSSAI Mains, State Selections and many others.

Friends, in this article we will discuss typically four methods used in situational analysis.

I. SWOT Analysis

II. 5’C’ Analysis

III. Porter’s Five Forces

IV. VRIO Analysis

I. SWOT Analysis:

SWOT Analysis is a technique used to evaluate company’s competitive position and to develop strategic planning.

It is an effective approach to scan out the environment of the organization. In SWOT Analysis:

‘S’ stands for Strength

‘W’ stands for Weakness

‘O’ stands for Opportunity

‘T’ stands for Threats

SWOT Analysis further divided into parameters.

1. Internal Analysis

2. External Analysis

1. Internal Analysis: It typically Strength and Weakness. It is directly related with the organization and they act as present scenario of the organization. Every organization has to increase their strength on one side and reduce the weakness on other side. Strength includes things you have in abundance, skills and capabilities, brand name, reputation etc. Weakness includes set of characteristic feature like high cost, inadequate funding which provides disadvantage to the organizations.

2. External Analysis: It includes Opportunity and Threats. It is actually indirectly related to the organization and act as a future scenario.

The major focus is to use the future opportunity in a better manner so it could be strength in future. Opportunity includes new source of investment, FDI, modern technology help out to boost the efficiency in production.

At the same time firms have to use proper resources to reduce the threats which could be come in the future. Otherwise they act as your weakness in future. Hence, a proper care should be taken for trends, modernization to fit in the competition.

In a Nutshell, we could say Strength and Opportunity are useful to the organization. Hence, use the opportunities to increase the strength. While Weakness and Threats are harmful to the organization. In the long run company needs to minimize weakness and reduce threats.

Examples of SWOT of Food Processing Industry:

Strength: Availability of raw material, skilled manpower

Weakness: Low processing level, Infrastructure facilities

Opportunity: Globalization, FDI, AEZ

Threats: Global Competition, Pricing strategy.

II. 5 ‘C’ Analysis:

It is a combination of 5 ‘C’s namely Company, competitors, customers, collaborations and climate as shown in the below Figure.

 

1. Company: First ‘C’ involves evaluation of company analysis with the help of

·         Goals & Objectives: Stated by the organization, Mission and  Vision

·         Position: Clearly define the marketing strategy approach and marketing mix utilization.

·         Performance: Level of commitment to achieve the stated objective and mission.

·         Product Line: Various level of products offered by the organization and their thorough analysis.

2. Competitors: The main objective is to analyze the competitors and prepare accordingly. It includes following set of parameters.

·         Identify Competitors: Identify both present and future competitors.

·         Assessment of Competitors: Analyze the strategy of competitors and resources utilized by them.

·         Predict Future competitors: It is again important to predict future initiatives from the competitor which are helpful to define future activity.

3. Customers: The most complex ‘C’ in the analysis. It involves following aspects to analyze.

·         Customers Needs and Wants: Here, one has to identify required need of customer and satisfy by means of goods and services.

·         Perceive to Buy: Organization have to perceive the customer to buy the product with the help of promotional campaign, product features, advertisements etc.

·         Income Level: It is important to sort out the customers as per their income level and preferences.

·         Frequency of Purchase: It acts as important tool to know the loyalty towards our organization.

·         Distribution channel: In current scenario it is needed to have the hold for further distribution of our commodities through different platforms.

4.  Collaborations: It is one of the way to increase the business applications and ideas.

·         Intermediary: These are the middlemen who could be specialize for transactions.

·         Suppliers: They provide resources for the products preparation. It mainly includes manufactures, wholesalers, merchants, franchisors, importers & exporters, independent crafts people and drop shippers.

·         Distributors: It is mostly important to carry inventory required for the organization.

·         Partnership: It includes sharing of business, skills and capabilities to increase the efficiency.

5. Climate: It acts as a critical factor which affect the business. It mainly includes PESTLE analysis.

P: Political Factors

E: Economical Factors

S: Social Factors

T: Technological Factors

L: Legal Factors

E: Environmental Factors

III. Porter’s Five Forces:

It is developed by Michael Porter in 1979. It is a combination of five significant factors required to make a strategic decision. The Porter’s Five forces model used to explore the environment within an industry and business strategy development.

The main implications are helps to adjust your strategy to suit the environment and identify an industry’s structure to determine corporate strategy.

The following five forces described by Michael Porter.

1. Threat of New Entrants

2. Threat of Substitute Product

3. Bargaining power of Buyer

4. Bargaining power of Supplier

5. Rivalry among existing firms.

The concept further elaborated with the given diagram representing Porters Five Forces.

 

IV.: VRIO Analysis:

VRIO Analysis is a vital technique used for evaluation of company’s resources and offering to make positive impact on competitive advantage.

The term VRIO abbreviated as ‘Value, Rarity, Imitate, Organizing’.

1. Value: Benefit offered by the organization against cost incurred. But if still organization could not able to provide value then that could be Competitive Disadvantage for the organization.

2. Rarity: It is nothing but innovative idea or rare concept to introduce which acts as temporary Competitive Advantage.

3. Imitate: The product or service is difficult to imitate or copy by the others. Hence it will unused competitive advantage as our products do not imitate easily but still need to be organized one.

4. Organizing: With the perfect combination of all four parameters an organization can create a Sustainable Competitive Advantage (SCA). The SCA could be retained for longer time and build the healthy relationship with the customers.

 

Reference Video:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDul7uf7pcbM_kWCEaA9WvA

 

 

Key Differences between PFA, 1954 and FSSA, 2006.

 

Key Differences between PFA, 1954 and FSSA, 2006.

 

Friends, as we know the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 is a pivotal act to maintain and regulate food safety throughout the country. The act is mandatory and actually replaces the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.

With the emergence of the FSSA, 2006 there is a single reference point of control related to all matters of food. Due to certain drawbacks the PFA, 1954 repealed to FSSA, 2006. As, we know the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 is a combination of eight (08) different act or orders in which the PFA is a major contributing one.

1.   Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA), 1954

2.   Fruit Product Order (FPO), 1955

3.   Meat and Food Product Order (MFPO), 1973

4.   Milk and Milk Product Order (MMPO), 1992

5.   Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947

6.   Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order, 1998

7.   Solvent Extracted Oil, De-oiled Meal, and Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967

8.   Any other order under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 relating to food.

Main Features of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006:

Following are some of the key main features of FSSA, 2006.

1.   Movement from multilevel and multi-departmental control to an integrated line of command.

2.   Single reference point for all matters related to food safety and standards.

3.   To provide self-monitoring Food Safety Management Systems.

4.   Promote general awareness about food safety and standards.

5.   Provision of offences depending upon offences and accordingly.

6.   Framing of regulations, standards and guidelines related to articles of food.

7.   Responsibility of food business operator (FBO) to ensure food safety.

Key Distinguishing Differences between PFA, 1954 and FSSA, 2006:

With concern to the key understanding here, I am trying to represent both important Acts with certain set of parameters to make the distinguishing features of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA), 1954 and The Food Safety and Standard Act (FSSA), 2006. To regulate the Food Safety Act, the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) came in to effect.

These are described to know the key difference among both the Act. It is an important aspect for FSSAI mains and numerous examinations of Central FSO (Food Safety Officer), TO (Technical Officer) and Assistant Commissioners.  Here, is the list of key differences for the same concern.

No.	Parameter	PFA, 1954	FSSA, 2006
1.	Name	Prevention of Food Adulteration, 1954 (37 of 1954)	The Food Safety Standard Act, 2006 (34 of 2006)
2.	Goal	To find out Adulteration	Food Safety
3.	Focus	Inspection and Control	Monitoring Surveillance and Close observation
4.	Authority	Multiple Authorities	Single Authority
5.	Workforce	Insufficient Enforcement Personnel	Full-Time Officer like FSO (Food Safety Officer)
6.	Responsibility	Food Inspector is responsible for Examination & Execution.	Responsibility of food safety is on FBO (Food Business Operator)
7.	Improvement Notice	No provision for Improvement Notice	Provision for Improvement Notice
8.	Penalty Provision	Direct Prosecution by Court	Through the Adjudication process (section 68 of FSSA, 2006) provision of penalty for offences made.
9.	Court Appeal	No Appeal before moving to court.	Food Safety Tribunal Provision (Section 70 of FSSA, 2006).
10.	GMP or GHP Provision	GMP or GHP are non- mandatory in nature.	GMP or GHP is mandatory according to Schedule 4 of FSSA.
11.	Import	Improper control on Import	Proper Import control and structure
12.	Sampling	Under Section number 4 of PFA, 1954 food inspector collects Three (03) samples	Under section number 38 of FSSA, 2006 FSO (Food Safety Officer) collects Four (04) samples.
13.	Personnel in Sampling	Food Inspector collects the sample from any manufactures and sent it to Public analyst for analysis and subsequent proceedings.	Food Safety Officer (FSO) collects the sample from any FBO and sent it to Food analyst for analysis and subsequent proceedings.
14.	Food Recall Procedure	No separate provisions for food recall procedure.	Separate provision made for Food recall procedure. (Article of food which is marketed and initiate the process to recall it due to not fit for consumption).
15.	Administrative Control	PFA dealt with many government Ministries and handling different food orders like FPO, MMPO is sometimes inconsistent.	Administrative control of FSSA assigned to MoH&FW (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) and establish a single reference point for all matters.
16.	Current Status	Not Effective in the current scenario.	Effective in the current scenario. Different eight act or orders are repealed by FSSA, 2006. (As specified above in the blog.)

 

Reference Video:  To understand the concept in a better manner uses the YouTube video link provided below.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDul7uf7pcbM_kWCEaA9WvA