Marking  “World Food Day 2016 – Climate is changing, Food and Agriculture must too” in Bangladesh on Sunday, 16 October, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN) highlighted the strong associations between climate change and sustainable agriculture, and food and nutrition security, along with the leading ministry – Ministry of Agriculture and its flagship line agencies – Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and Agriculture Information Service (AIS) at the premise of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC).

Around 800 stakeholders including staff members of FAO Bangladesh participated in the WFD 2016 morning rally with themed yellow umbrellas marched towards the seminar venue from the south gate of National Parliament. Later the crowd was joined by a handful number of top policy makers - Mr Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Hon’ble Minister of Finance, Ms Matia Chowdhury, Hon’ble Minister of Agriculture, and Mr Qamrul Islam, Hon’ble Minister of Food,  Mr Md Moinuddin Abdullah, Secretary, Agriculture to open the Annual Food Fair and attend the official Seminar.

A key note presentation on the theme of World Food Day 2016 was given by Dr M A Sattar Mandal, former Vice-Chancellor, Bangladesh Agriculture University, Mymensingh, and Member Secretary, Planning Commission

Mike Robson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh presented a short video (link below) to illustrate farmers’ perceptions of climate change.  He also underlined the fact that the food system in Bangladesh has changed dramatically in recent years.  Climate change adds an additional level of stress to a system already marked by growing population, urbanization, changing food distribution and consumption habits, and the loss of productive agricultural land to other economic uses

“The farmers of Bangladesh are the smartest, natural quick learners when it comes to coping with new technology or modern agriculture practice. Despite the ongoing battle with climate change, their due diligence has made it possible to boost the productivity in all sectors.” said Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Finance Minister and the Chief Guest of the event.

“Rice production has gone up to 38 million MT from 11 million MT over last three decades – gradually becoming a rice exporting country starting with shipments of 200,000 MT last year. Fish and aquaculture production has increased to 3.7 million MT from 1.7 million MT since 2001.” he added. He further emphasized that malnutrition levels have dropped significantly according to recent studies.

In her remarks, Agriculture Minister  - Matia Chowdhury pointed out the government has been taking measures with the latest technologies including stress-tolerant crop cultivation, animal breed development, soil-less plantation and rice-fish culture – more focused on the Southern delta region, as a result of falling groundwater levels in northern areas of the country. She also praised the scientific community of Bangladesh for developing salinity-tolerant rice verities, which are suitable for the coastal districts, and introducing genetically modified (GM) crop varieties as a further boost for food security.

Underlining the newly-found success in rice exports, Advocate Quamrul Islam, Food Minister hoped to expand the market in African countries following sales to Sri Lanka and Nepal. “The food storage capacity, currently at 2 million tons, aims to reach 2.5 million tons by 2021, and will achieve a total 3 million tons by 2030”, he added.

The seminar was also attended by chairperson Md. Mokbul Hossain, MP, Parliamentary standing committee on Agriculture Ministry and BARC Executive Chairman Abul Kalam Azad.