Experts on food and agriculture emphasised the need for environment-friendly, climate-resilient, and inclusive agriculture policies in the Asia-Pacific region, including Bangladesh, to ensure food security.
They also called for taking an integrated approach, use of modern technologies and safeguard the marginal farmers’ rights in this regard.
The two-day ‘Asia Pacific Right to Food and Agrifood System Conference 2023’ commenced at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban on the Dhaka University campus.
During the opening session, speakers highlighted that despite increased food production in the region, including Bangladesh, achieving the goal of ensuring the right to adequate food for all is still challenged by various crises. The recent Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have presented new challenges to the food production and distribution systems, compounded by the impacts of climate change.
The criticised the government’s submissive approach towards corporate giants involved in the food and agriculture sector. They and were of the opinion that such approach led to problems in food availability and distribution in certain areas. To address these issues, an integrated approach to food and existing agro-food systems is essential to make them more equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient, they said.
The conference was organised by Right to Food Bangladesh (RtF BD) with the support of the European Union, Care Bangladesh, Plan International, Austrian Development Cooperation, and the Asian Farmers’ Association for Sustainable Rural Development.
Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury attended the conference as chief guest while chairman of RtF BD Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad presided over it.
Planning Minister MA Mannan attended as the special guest, and other dignitaries and experts from different countries participated in the event.
DU Vice-Chancellor Dr M Akhtaruzzaman, Joint Secretary to the Nepal’s Agriculture and Livestock Development Sanjeev Kumar Karn, and Country Director of CARE Bangladesh Ramesh Singh and
General Secretary to the RtF BD and Executive Director of WAVE Foundation Mohsin Ali also spoke at the event.
Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury praised Bangladesh’s success stories in food production and security, attributing it to various initiatives taken since the country’s independence. However, she acknowledged the global crises like the pandemic and war affecting the supply chain and emphasised the need for inclusive and sustainable food management to overcome these challenges.
Planning Minister MA Mannan highlighted the government’s focus on environment-friendly agriculture and the use of organic fertilisers. While Bangladesh has made strides in agricultural production and management, he stressed the importance of safeguarding the rights of marginal farmers for a more equitable society.
Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad stressed the significance of ensuring equal access to food for all, particularly in the face of climate change challenges affecting coastal countries like Bangladesh.
Around 600 experts, activists, civil society leaders, and stakeholders from various countries participated in the conference, either in person or virtually. The discussions focused on legal frameworks, fundamental issues related to the right to food in the region, and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Ukraine crisis, climate change, and food insecurity. The experts agreed that addressing these challenges requires a global effort as food and its management are interconnected and cannot be solved by any single country alone.
Mohsin Ali emphasised that combating hunger in the age of globalization and digitization is a global phenomenon. The challenges related to food and its management are deeply interconnected and cannot be effectively resolved by any single country alone. A collaborative effort from multiple nations and stakeholders is necessary to address these complex issues successfully.
In one of the plenary sessions titled ‘Legal framework and fundamental issues related to the right to food in the Asia-Pacific region,’ economist Professor MM Akash shed light on the emergence of a new group of people termed ‘Covid poor’ globally.
This has further exacerbated the crisis in food security, with staples like rice and wheat being heavily affected. The impact of both the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis has also contributed to problems in food production, adding to the challenges faced by the region.
