By RODRICK DESURI 

AUKI 

Focusing on and engaging rural people in the agricultural sector is what can help to lessen and slow the rise of non-communicable disease cases in the country. 

The Member of Parliament for Kiritimati and Kanton in Kiribati, Teriba Tabe, stated in an interview with Island Sun Auki on Monday, September 15 that a greater focus on the agricultural sector can bring and provide many essential benefits to the lives of people and create a healthy environment. 

“Agriculture provides not only for our food security but also a source of income for rural communities and a source of healthy foods. 

“We have come to depend on imported foodstuffs, which have become the causes of many NCDs and are a major cause of diabetes and high blood pressure,” he said.

He stressed that the more people get engaged and put more focus on agricultural sectors, the healthier the population will be, leading to a healthier lifestyle.

“A healthy lifestyle contributes to a healthy population. A healthy population contributes to development, and any positive development will ensure there is economic growth,” he said.

According to a report by WHO last year, cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, with at least 19 million deaths in 2021, followed by cancers (10 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4 million), and diabetes (over 2 million, including kidney disease deaths caused by diabetes).

In the meantime, Hon Tabe said that in addressing the rise of social issues among youth in the country, it would be better to send them home and engage them in agricultural sectors.

He calls on the government to add value and set policies for the agricultural sector that suit and attract unemployed youth in the town back into the rural communities.

“Moving the youth back from town can address the current increasing social issues now seen in our towns,” he added.

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