I am sending herewith a newspaper report that says Bangladesh has become a food self-sufficient country. But, a reader here may ask why it is in this thread. It is because much of today's credit goes to Gen. Moeen. After the SIDR cyclone, Gen. Moeen worked relentlessly to develop the agriculture sector. Since last year BD is getting all the positive results of that effort by the military jawans. Gen. Moeen was, in essence, the agriculture minister at that time. He has set a new standard for agriculture production.
It was quite above the production level of the previous 5 years of RAWNP govt. Every year, that govt used to import $500 million worth of food from India, and in the process of importing, their cronies had looted many million dollars. I hope, the present and the next govts will keep on raising food production. My own calculation shows that the tiny BD can produce enough food to feed 300 million people.
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'Bangladesh now a food-surplus country' :: Bangladesh :: bdnews24.com ::
'Bangladesh now a food-surplus country'
Thu, Oct 15th, 2009 10:15 pm BdST
Dhaka, Oct 15 (bdnews24.com)Bangladesh is a food-surplus country even though it has to import food grains due to lack of adequate preservation and storage facilities, the agriculture secretary said on Thursday.
"Moreover, production is hampered often because of natural disasters, as Bangladesh is a vulnerable country," C Q K Mostaque Ahmed said at a news conference ahead of the World Food Day on Friday.
"We've some drawbacks in preserving and storing the produced food, which leads us to import a significant amount."
Demand for food was 2.70 crore metric tonnes last year and the government targets to produce 3.30 crore metric tonnes of food grains to meet the increased demand, the secretary said.
Production in the previous Boro season was 1.85 crore metric tonnes while this year's target is 1.90 crores. Production in the Aman output is also expected to reach the target.
Ahmed said, "The government is continuing its awareness programmes for the farmers about food security and promoting more production."
Tertiary cropping is underway for the coastal areas and different crops are being produced round the year, he added.
"Some 1 billion people are facing food crisis around the world and we need to work more to increase purchase capacity," he said.
The country representative of the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), Ad Spijkers, said Bangladesh would not face a food crisis although India is staring at the possibility.
Food production in Thailand, China and Vietnam will be better this year, the FAO representative added.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a message one the eve of the Day on Thursday said, "Bangladesh achieved self-dependency during the previous Awami League government in 1996-2001. But the succeeding government could not carry on with the success."
The day is being observed every year on Oct 16 at the call of FAO. This year's message is 'Achieving food security in crisis'.
The government has taken day-long programmes to mark the day.
A children's painting exhibition was organised at the Shishu Academy on Thursday ahead of the day.