Beijing, Oct 16: Officials working in China's grain administration Tuesday took part in a “24 hours of hunger” campaign to create awareness among people about food security and to curb grain waste.
The campaign was initiated by the State Administration of Grain (SAG), which called on staff members of local grain administration agencies across China to voluntarily fast to mark the World Food Day, which was observed Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
A top official of the Chengdu City Grain Administration said he hoped the activity could correct misconceptions of many citizens that China was not short on grains.
The SAG said the fasting was aimed at reminding citizens not to forget about grain conservation during years of good harvest.
Official data shows that China's grain output grew 4.5 percent last year to 5.7 billion tonnes.
However, analysts estimate that about 85 million tonnes of grain are wasted in China during consumption and storage. About 10 percent of food is wasted daily at family dinner tables.
Another official said fasting made him understand the adage: “A man who is full does not know how hungry a starved man is.”
Around 900 million people around the world face chronic hunger, and 70 percent of them live in rural areas, Xinhua said.
