Programme to ensure food security

The objectives of the progra-mme, funded by the European Commission and the USAID, are to enhance the government's capacity to conduct research on and review food policy, increase inter-ministerial collaboration and evaluate the food policy implementation process.

An inception seminar on 'National Food Policy Capacity Strengthening Programme' was held at a city hotel yesterday with Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf as the chief guest.

Stefan Frowein, ambassador and head of EC delegation, and Beth Paige, deputy director of USAID, were present as special guest while Abdur Rashid Sarkar, secretary to food ministry, presided over the seminar.

Speaking at the seminar, the food minister called for developing adequate national capacity to break the vicious cycle of malnutrition and eliminate hunger in shortest possible time through a comprehensive approach.

"If a large portion of people continue to remain underfed, social disorder and dissatisfaction will increasingly destabilise our society. The market mechanism may not work in such situation," he said.

On the food prices and imports, the minister said that if the ceiling of domestic price is kept artificially low through import dependence, low real prices of agricultural commodity could ultimately result in slow growth in agriculture and rural economy.

Stefan Frowein said, "Bangladesh is fighting malnutrition and promoting food security, but the absolute number of children suffering from malnutrition is still growing."

Bui Thi Lan, FAO representative in Bangladesh, and Selina Ahsan, director general, Food Policy and Monitoring Unit, also spoke.

FAO would provide strategic support to train the programme officials.