Revolutionary Thinking; Zero hunger in the world by 2030

BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH 

“If it is potato alone you can get, we will be teaching them that they don’t have to boil it every day.”

Peter Ivey

This trip to Jamaica will forever live on in my memories. Not only did I gain a stronger sense of pride for the island of my ancestors, but I also met some really great people; one such person is Mr. Peter Ivey. When first meeting Mr. Ivey, you can sense that he was a young man with a strong presence and an even stronger heart. During our media trip, I had an opportunity to speak with Mr. Ivey about what he did outside of being a writer and reporter. He told me about his service The Reggae Chefs®, a personal chef and entertainment service that showcases the rich cultural and culinary heritage of Jamaica, right in your own home. He spoke of the work that he was currently doing with The League of International Chefs Association (TLICA), an organization mobilized in creating and supporting a global network of food industry professionals, who aim to support and sustain communities by using food and culture to end hunger and poverty.

I was instantly intrigued and asked for him to share the project he was working on when he was ready.

“End hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.”

(Goal 2 of 17 Sustainable Development Goals, United Nations)

In 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted a plan that would provide a blueprint for peace and prosperity. This future-forward thinking has been named the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and it recognizes that ending poverty, and other deprivations must be made actionable with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth. With the growing severity of poverty, the United Nations declared 2016–2025 the decade of action on nutrition. This is where Mr. Ivey saw an opportunity to not only do more for his homeland Jamaica but for other places in the world where food scarcity is an issue.

His ingenious idea; Mission: Food Possible. This mission would assist people with nutritious recipes that can be prepared on a low budget with indigenous produce such as callallo, ackee, and breadfruit. This would allow families to use what they had around them to feed their families with what Mr. Ivey calls, Most Valuable Produce. It is a bonus that local farmers want to get actively involved by donating excess crops in a bid to minimize food wastage and loss, which is another formidable global issue. Most Valuable Produce (MVP) is a complementary scoring guide to determine what crops are considered most valuable and includes items such as callallo, ackee, breadfruit, green banana, and cassava.

Mr. Ivey compares the 2018 edition of Mission: Food Impossible to a scrawny kid who went to the gym and came back muscular.

“We are looking at food insecurity in a whole new light using the community, our farmers and ingenuity to change how we consume our foods. Our Most Valuable Produce scoring guide not only allows us to use the foods that will sustain our community but preserve Jamaican culinary heritage. Honestly as a chef, too, I am excited to be able to once again take staples like breadfruit, green banana, and others and use what I have learned in my travels to create something new that will benefit the only currency that matters for the future—our children.”

The training sessions in Jamaica occurred on October 18–19, 2018 and the participants were exposed to different ways in which to cook local produce. He was joined in Jamaica with his Reggae Chefs® team, The League of International Chefs Association (TLICA), and Chef Patrice Harris-Henry, a Food and Nutrition teacher of 11 years and owner of Tricey’s Catering Services.

We here at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper salute Peter Ivey and his team for their acts of humanism and selfless dedication. If you are interested in getting involved with Mission: Food Possible, you can contact Peter Ivey:

Website: www.thereggaechefs.com

Instagram: @thereggaechefs

Instagram: @peter_ivey_aka_mr._bond

Facebook: @PeterIvey