Bangladesh has rejoiced the World Food Day on 16 October, honouring theme of this year and its own commitment to defeating the hunger, malnutrition and poverty. FAO Representation in Bangladesh took significant part in government’s initiative to highlight and acknowledge the World Food Day 2014 along with relevant line departments under the leadership of Ministry of Agriculture. Bangladesh.

The day started off with a rally with the participation of all the FAO officials, wearing the T-shirts and cap, specially designed for this event. This rally was also dominantly attended by the staff of all the relevant ministries and line departments of the government of Bangladesh. Notably, Hon’ble Minster Ms. Matia Chowdhury, MP, was among the top government officials who were present at the rally, attended by around five hundred people.   

The march finished at the World Food Day Fair, which was held at the premise of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Centre (BARC). The fair went on for 3 consecutive days for the period of 16-19 October, 2014. Following the rally, a seminar on the “World Food Day, 2014: Feeding the world, caring for the earth” was organized at the auditorium at BARC by Ministry of Agriculture. Ms. Matia Chowdhury, MP, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Agriculture was present as the chief guest at the seminar. Mr. Qamrul Islam, Ministry of Food was also present as the special guest while the session was chaired by Dr. S. M. Nazmul Islam, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture.

In this seminar, the current situation in food safety and security in Bangladesh, on-going activities on and off the field in relation to the agricultural development in Bangladesh and the future scopes for building the perfect synergy among the donors, NGOs, respective UN agencies, government line departments and more importantly the related ministries were highlighted among the other discussed matters. Dr. Md. Kamal Uddin, Executive Chairman, BARC, Mr. Anwar Faruque, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Mr. Mike Robson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh were also there among the respected speakers.      

Food and Agriculture Organization on the United Nations has set up a stall in the fair. The fair was inaugurated by Ms. Matia Chowdhury, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, Bangladesh, on 16 October, 2016. The centre display at the FAO stall was the hand-made model of family farming scenario on the tray. In addition to that, FAO Bangladesh also offered the publications/books covering FAO projects activities over the past years. An official video documentary on the World Food Day 2014 was on the video display, which also has also been circulated to the respective ministries and government agencies. 

Posters, containing the slogans and messages of the World Food Day 2014, were widely circulated to the government officec. Major TV channels and newspapers covered the event and broadcasted the messages from the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble President and other relevant respected members of the government with due importance. Additionally, speeches on World Food Day 2014 from the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble President, Mr. Mike Robson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh and others, were published in the special edition of the weekly and daily newspapers.  

In addition to the participation in the central programme, FAO has taken parts in activities in other parts of the Bangladesh on this event. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and Hill District Council, Rangamati with the assistance of FAO, have arranged a seminar in Rangamti, Chittagong on 16 October, 2014 on the theme of “Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth”. The seminar was joined by Mr. Nikhil Kumar Chakma, Hill District Chairman, Rangamati as the chief guest and Mr. Altabur Rahamn, Deputy Director, DAE, as the special guest. The session was chaired by Mr. Mustafa Zaman, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rangamati.

The day ended on a high note with the promises from the related government agencies and development partners to move forward and work together in ensuring the food security and safety, nutrition and a better livelihood for the people of Bangladesh.

Context

The theme of the World Food Day, 2014 is “Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth”, which was has been chosen to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farmers, particularly. It draws world attention to the significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas.

The UN General Assembly has designated 2014 “International Year of Family Farming.” This is a strong signal that the international community recognizes the important contribution of family farmers to world food security. Family farming is linked, inextricably, to the national and global food security. Both in developing and developed countries, family farming is the predominant form of agriculture in the food production sector.  Throughout the world, there are more than 500 million family farms, whose activities are managed and operated by the family, and rely predominately, on the family labour. They range from small holders and medium scale farmers to indigenous peoples as traditional communities and fisher folk.

Bangladesh is a country where the success stories of family farming can be built upon for an even greater impact in future and cane be made an example to the others.  In Bangladesh, family farming remains the predominant form of agriculture. Family farmers are working to intensify their production in a sustainable way, and to diversify within and across sub-sectors, to build better livelihoods. Local sustainable production and consumption based on family farming has a major part to play in fighting hunger, especially when linked to social protection policies, and in ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources.