World Food Day on Sunday

World Food Day will be observed in the country on Sunday as elsewhere in the world in a befitting manner.

This year’s theme of the day is ‘Kauke Poshchatey Rekhey Noy-Valo Uthpadoney Uttom Pushti, Surokkhito Poribesh Abong Unnoto Jibon.’

The Agriculture Ministry and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will jointly observe the day, reports Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

President M Abul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day.

In his message, President Abul Hamid said agriculture is one of the main drivers of poverty reduction and economic development in Bangladesh.

Highlighting the role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the agriculture sector of the country, he said Bangabandhu called for an agricultural revolution in rebuilding the country.

Bangabandhu ensured distribution of khas land, fertilisers, pesticides, improved seeds and other agriculture outputs among the farmers, the head of the state recalled.

Following this, the country has achieved self-sufficiency in food grains as a result of the adoption of appropriate policies and measures by the government, he said, adding that along with crops, enormous success has been achieved in the animal-protein sector.

If agricultural production is increased alongside controlling inflation, it will be possible to earn foreign exchange by exporting food products at high prices to the world market, he said.

He stressed the need for continuing relentless efforts of all concerned for developing and expanding new nutrient-rich crop varieties and appropriate technologies in order to sustain food and nutritional security.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said in continuation of the plans and programmes taken by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Awami League government has been taking and implementing various agriculture-friendly and realistic initiatives for the development of agriculture for the last 13.5 years.

Taking the development of agriculture and farmers’ welfare into the highest consideration, a number of work plans and initiatives, including the National Agriculture Policy-2018, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-2030, Delta Plan-2100 and the Food Safety Act, have been taken by the government, the premier said.

Initiatives were also taken to ensure distribution of agriculture based loans, opening of bank accounts with Taka 10 and innovation of climate tolerant varieties and technologies, Sheikh Hasina said.

“We have increased allocation further in agriculture research and education,” she added.

“We have constructed the Padma Bridge with our own funding to establish uninterrupted, cost-effective and speedy communication between 21 districts of the South-Western region with the capital,” she continued.

Through this bridge, the quality of farmer’s life in the region will improve, she added.

She hoped that a happy, prosperous and developed Sonar Bangladesh as dreamt by Bangabandhu can be built by 2041 with the participation of the government as well as everyone by meeting the nutritional needs through ensuring safe food and eliminating hunger and poverty.

Both the president and the premier wished for the overall success of all programmes taken on the occasion of World Food Day.