Mr Francis Ennor, the Upper East Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has allayed the fears among residents in the Region about possible food insecurity.

"I want to state emphatically that there is no need for the public to panic as the Region's food balance sheet is expected to balance," he said in a speech delivered on his behalf at a ceremony to mark this year's World Food Day celebration in Bolgatanga.

World Food Day is observed on October 16 every year in remembrance of the day the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations was founded in 1945, with the primary focus to tackle global hunger and strive to eradicate hunger across the world.

The programme, which was organised by the MoFA in collaboration with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation's Ura Radio (GBC - Ura Radio) was on the theme; "Our actions are our future – Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life."

As part of activities to mark the celebration, there were different varieties of locally prepared foods and drinks including 'Tubaani,' 'pito,' 'maasa,' 'Tuozaafi' with bean-leaf soup, guinea fowl khebab among others on exhibition.

Mr Ennor said following the shortage of government's subsidized fertilizers this year, there were media reports of possible food shortage in the Region and assured residents that there was no need to panic.

He said per the MoFA's monitoring, and based on information from the various Municipal and District MoFA Directors across the Region, there would not be any shortage, but cautioned that residents must ensure that much of the food produced in the Region was not transported out by the market queens.

He advised that for the food situation in the region and the country to stabilise in the ensuing years, households should endeavour to reduce food waste by not overcooking and reduce the risk of contamination through the wrong application of pesticides among other measures.

Mr Rex Asanga, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive-elect (MCE-elect) said the World Food Day was significant for the people of the Region, "It is meant to let us reflect on food security and hunger."

He called on residents of the Region to initiate and put in place measures to ensure food security in the area.

"This year, the harvest is not going to be good because the rainfall distribution has been extremely poor and that is why we need to begin to think out of the box because our population still largely depend on Agriculture.

"I am sure that about 70 to 75 per cent of the population of the Upper East Region is still dependent on agriculture, whether crop farming or livestock production or agro-processing. So, we still have a lot to do to remain food secured," Mr Asanga said.

Mr Ebenezer Kwamina Onumah, the Upper East Regional Director of the GBC -Ura Radio, noted that Ura Radio was initially established as an Agricultural focus station, and management deemed it necessary to team up with the MoFA to observe the World Food Day.