The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Dhaka organized an information meeting with the participation of all government partners, resource partners, various UN agencies and media representatives.
FAO highlighted the progress and achievements of its work in Bangladesh at an elite hotel in the capital on Saturday. At the time, it was said that FAO is committed to achieving four main pillars: better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life.
For more than 45 years, Bangladesh and FAO have been working closely together in the fields of agriculture, food, forestry, fisheries, livestock, rural development and climate change. Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and is increasingly moving towards nutritional security and food exports.
FAO's Strategic Framework 2022-31 aims to work together to make agri-food systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, supporting the 2030 Agenda by ensuring better production, better nutrition, better environment and better lives, leaving no one behind.
At the meeting, FAO experts provided information on a range of topics, including: increasing sustainable productivity in agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
Building inclusive and resilient agro-food systems in a changing climate and environment, increase food security and community self-sufficiency, promoting healthy and safe food supply, improving food distribution and reducing food loss and waste, protect and restore terrestrial and marine ecosystems, increase the income of small food producers, directing government expenditure on agriculture, securing land tenure by promoting ownership rights over agricultural land, development of gender equality.
Implementation of 15 projects aimed at innovation of sustainable agricultural production, strengthening of rural aquaculture and empowerment of coastal fishing communities, establishment of nationwide Bangladesh Animal Health Intelligence System (BAHIS), sustainable rabies control through National Mass Dog Vaccination Program implemented by the Department of Health, introduction of Dhaka Food Agenda 2041 , achieving vision and scenario of food systems in major cities of the country, providing support to 130 markets, creating 16 weekly farmers markets, providing training and input assistance to 6,500 urban agriculturists, creating farmers markets in Dhaka to promote safe food production.
Marketing and safe vegetables and fruits:S Linking producers to markets, establishing 8 nutrition-smart villages in 8 divisions, subjecting 16,000 hectares of land to climate-resilient agricultural practices and technologies, training 32,000 farmers on climate-resilient agriculture through 800 farmer-field schools, for sustainable coastal wetland management Design and implementation of 7 eco-friendly farming methods, institutionalization of Bangladesh forest inventory and training of 100 forest department staff, preparation of Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) roadmap to speed up implementation of Paris Agreement in Bangladesh, preparation of action triggers and protocols to combat flash floods in Haor region, capacity building of more than 100 government officials in the fisheries sector, 89 per cent of women's loan applications to external financial institutions approved by lenders.
Providing assistance to 33,000 farmers in 23 upazilas affected by floods with seeds, fertilizer and other inputs in four districts: Rangamati, Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar, preparing advance action triggers and plans for Haor region to reduce damage due to flash floods, 44 in 6 districts Providing support to upazila farmers with seeds along with agricultural inputs, providing support to the Bangladesh government to prepare an action plan for fruit armyworm control in line with the Global Action Plan, and providing support to the Bangladesh government to prepare a strategic plan for agricultural processing are significant progress and achievements, FAO said.
The meeting was attended by government officials, FAO officials and journalists.