Source: Bangladesh Post

‘More cooperation needed to build sustainable agri-food system’Seeking more active action of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdus Shahid on Tuesday said mutual cooperation should be increased to build an effective and sustainable agri-food system for the countries in the Asia-Pacific region.The minister said this while addressing the 37th Asia and Pacific Regional Conference (APRC37) organised by FAO of the United Nations at Colombo in Sri Lanka.Shahid said it is necessary to increase the cooperation among FAO countries in Asia-Pacific region considering the diversified agriculture of the member countries.He said the cooperation is needed in those countries where crop productivity is low and agriculture is more vulnerable to climate change.FAO should also give focus on the countries where import dependence of agricultural inputs including fertilizers, post-harvest wastage is high, markets are more dominated by middlemen, agricultural processes and value chains are backward and mechanization process is poor.The minister said it is very challenging to ensure the food and nutrition security of the growing population in Bangladesh in the midst of climate change, reduction of agricultural land and global economic recession. Besides, issues like weak marketing system and export restrictions have become very important in food security, he said.Shahid urged the FAO to implement the proposal of creating ‘special fund’ for research as proposed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the FAO conference held last year in Dhaka.The four-day long conference will end on February 22. Ministers level delegation from more than 40 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, FAO DG, representatives of different UN organizations, development partners, NGOs and civil societies are taking part in the conference.Earlier, Agriculture Minister Abdus Shahid held separate meetings with FAO DG Dr. Qu Dongyu and chairperson of FAO’s Committee on World Food Security and Ambassador of South Africa to Rome Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile.