JAMAICA will today join more than 150 other countries in celebrating World Food Day with an assurance from the minister of agriculture, Dr Christopher Tufton, that the government is committed to fully revolutionising the agricultural sector.

Speaking to the Observer last night, Dr Tufton said the government fully understands that it cannot be “business as usual” in the sector and that the “commodity mentality”, which seeks to preserve traditional practices will have to give way to modern technologies.

“We have accepted that we can no longer depend on favours. We have accepted that we will have to chart our own course and we have also accepted that agriculture is too important for us to allow it to be marginalised,” the minister said.

He said that he would be encouraging collaboration between key players in the industry, especially the link between agriculture and the expanding tourism sector which, “which, if properly harnessed, can be a major boost to our economy”.

The theme for World Food Day is “The Right To Food”, which emphasises the importance of all human beings’ right to have physical and economic access to nutritionally adequate, culturally acceptable and safe food.

Today’s main local events to mark the day are a seminar and awards ceremony scheduled for the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.