Dear All,
It is yet another important initiative of FSN for streamlining activities of food production and nutrition in the world under the auspices of the FAO of UN.
I am presenting my views against the three questions.
1. If you were designing an agricultural investment programme, what are the top 5 things you would do to maximize its impact on nutrition?
(a)I would conduct a survey across the country to identify the nutritional needs and deficiencies of the people of different age,sex,income and other relevant parameters to determine the possible direction of interventions.
(b)I would survey the availability of various nutritional elements from the locally produced crops,fruits,vegetables,fish,poultry,dairy and other sources for the above mentioned people.
(c)I would select the major food sources that supply the nutrition required by the people and focus most emphasis on these sources for interventions.
(d)I would organize coordinated and concerted programmes with the participation of relevant ministries,research,extension,credit and allied departments and universities in the government and private sectors to make a comprehensive action plan for implementation in phases.
2. To support the design and implementation of this programme, where would you like to see more research done, and why?
I would like to see more research on the following areas:
(a)Food varieties containing more nutritional values so that more nutrition may be available from less quantity of food
(b)Food safety issues to highlight safety in all stages to ensure food that are not adulterated,properly certified and safely consumed.
(c)Wastage or damage of food and nutritional contents in the field,shipment,
storage and distribution systems due to pests,diseases,infrastructural problem,management,regulation,corruption and for any other mismanagement.
(e)I would organize to bring all international donors,UN and other bodies working in my country to support the implementation of our action plans
under a single umbrella to ensure transparency and avoid duplication of activities, corruption and wastage of resources.
3. What can our institutions do to help country governments commit to action around your recommendations, and to help ensure implementation will be effective?
Your institutions can help country governments commit to action around my recommendations to help ensure implementation to make them effective by
providing technical,financial,logistic and management inputs.
Syed Md. Zainul Abedin