Delivering a passionate address at the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Zero Hunger Trust Fund (ZHTF), the Honorable Dr. Kishore Shallow, Minister of Tourism, challenged national stakeholders to embrace innovation and build integrated solutions for food security.
Taking the podium following a lively cultural performance, Shallow reflected on a decade of progress, noting that the ZHTF has served as a powerful catalyst for change through deep partnerships across the government, civil society, the private sector, and the youth. He praised the collective pursuit of a hunger-free St. Vincent and the Grenadines, emphasizing that the program has successfully touched lives and strengthened communities.
A key highlight of the Minister’s speech was his focus on political continuity and bipartisanship. Referencing Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday’s philosophy that “government is a baton,” Shallow highlighted that the ZHTF is a universally supported program that transcends political divides.
He publicly acknowledged the foundational work of the former Minister of Agriculture in building the initiative, assuring attendees that the program remains in highly capable hands and is guaranteed to grow over the next decade.
Looking ahead to the ZHTF’s new mandate, which centers on “positioning for the decade of system transformation,” the Minister declared that the future requires bold thinking, decisive action, and a rethinking of national food security frameworks. He urged leaders to embrace new technologies and invest in sustainable production, ensuring that all policies remain inclusive and adaptive.
“The next decade demands that we move beyond individual interventions and towards integrated system-wide solutions that leave absolutely no one behind,” Shallow stated.
To close his address, the Minister invoked the words of American agronomist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug, reminding the audience that “food is the moral right of all who are born into this world”.
Addressing the men, women, and children of the nation, Shallow stressed that this fundamental moral right must serve as the foundation for all future policy-making and collaboration. He called on all attendees to recommit to a shared mission of ending hunger and building a robust food system that will nourish every Vincentian for generations to come