Ensuring food security

In Bangladesh, food is a basic right, as affirmed by the constitution of the country. However, a large number of people are still subject to food insecurity in this land of over 160 million people. According to the World Food Summit in 1996, food insecurity exists when there is not enough food available to meet the food demand; there is a lack of access to available food at all times, to all people, at affordable prices and when available food fails to meet safety and nutrition demands of the given population.

The impact of the global food crisis has naturally affected Bangladesh. The price of food products in the country has increased rapidly due to the effect of the Russia-Ukraine war. Russia and Ukraine combined is considered the world’s bread baskets. Coupled with this are the domestic hoarders, who are ever ready to exploit excess profits by creating artificial crises by increasing stocks.

Against this background, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the authorities concerned to take initiative for importing additional food grains from alternative sources – other than the traditional ones – to avert any possible food crisis.

She gave the directives at a cabinet meeting held on Sunday, adding that if any global supplier fails, the government can import food from alternative sources to ensure food security.

The production of rice, especially the Boro variety (cultivated in residual water in low-lying areas), has facilitated Bangladesh’s journey from import dependence to food self-sufficiency. The wide availability of rice means millions of people can afford a staple food source, contributing to poverty alleviation. The government showed a strong commitment to ensuring food security this year by supporting farmers in the early harvesting of Boro, which was in danger because of forecasted flash floods and a lack of workers due to lockdowns.

The government provided facilitation services and supplied mechanical harvesters on credit, and a combination of innovative local interventions in labour mobilization, technology, and strong monitoring together resulted in a successful harvest.

Good harvests also make it easier for the government to buy enough for public sale at a reduced price (commonly known as open market sale, or OMS), which regulates prices or redistributes as a relief.

The nation should brace itself for the impact of climate change that can increase the fragility of the food security situation. Taking this prospect agriculturists have urged the policymakers to remain ready for the future challenge through innovative and adaptive technologies to keep crop production increasing.

Still, as the population of the country keeps increasing, the necessity of greater food production cannot be overemphasized. It becomes easier for a country that achieves reliance in food to develop in different fields.

On achieving food security, Bangladesh must primarily focus on the production of grains including rice and wheat. Equal importance has to be put on increasing the production of protein sources such as beef, poultry, fish as well as pulses. Sometime back, a World Bank report surfaced in the media revealing the fact that stunted growth, as well as lack of quality education, is obstructing the materialization of the fullest growth of the country’s human capital.

India’s ban on beef export to Bangladesh has acted as a blessing for the country as this offered opportunity for the development of our own livestock sector. If the government consistently provides help to this sector which it ought to, the high price of beef will definitely come down.

The price of broiler chicken fluctuates in the market but overall this source of protein is not beyond the reach of the poor like the cultured fish varieties. Yet loan facility to the farmers of fish and chicken on easy terms can boost their production enhancing our food security. Policymakers should also pay attention to the country’s traditional sources of fish such as rivers, haor, baor, beels and ponds.