26 February 2023, Dhaka, – Building on Bangladesh’s success in terms of food security, the focus now is increasingly on nutrition security ensuring that everybody has access not only to enough food, but enough healthy, nourishing food.
With support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Food has developed policies to improve the country’s nutrition. As part of this ongoing effort, the Ministry and FAO today held the last in a series of training workshops for local government officials that will empower them to develop practical nutrition and meal planning advice, based on the country’s updated dietary guidelines.
Nutrition security means consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods that promote health and well-being, particularly among lower income communities and sensitive populations such as children and the elderly.
Approximately a quarter of the country’s population live below the poverty line, with many enduring extreme poverty. Combined with rapid population growth and urbanization, these place significant pressure on food and nutrition security.
Nur Khondaker, FAO Assistant Representative (Programme), said: “There is not only hunger for calories but for nourishing meals. As we continue to work for zero hunger we must remember the importance of food for health and well-being. With a focus on nutrition security, we embrace solutions that nourish people instead of filling them with food but leaving them hungry. This training is an important step towards developing easy-to-understand and practical nutrition advice for people.”
Bangladesh has developed a nutrition policy framework that includes the National Nutrition Policy 2015, the Second National Plan of Action for Nutrition, the Bangladesh Second and Third Country Investment Plans, and the National Food and Nutrition Security Policy 2020. The next phase is to develop and communicate practical nutrition advice to the public.
The National Food-Based Dietary Guidelines 2020 are based upon the latest available surveys while taking on board the changes in policy frameworks since 2015. The guidelines emphasize the importance of people’s dietary habits and choices, recommended nutrient intake, the nutritional content of food, plus food safety and quality.
District and divisional officials from 18 ministries and agencies that are engaged in extending nutrition education across the country attended the training that was held at the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Centre (BARC) auditorium in Dhaka. Facilitators from FPMU conducted sessions on the country’s food and nutrition security situation and policies.
This workshop was organized by the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) of the Ministry of Food and FAO’s Meeting the Undernutrition Challenge (MUCH) project which is funded by the European Union and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The MUCH project helps Bangladesh respond to food security and nutrition challenges, focusing on developing government capacity, as well as the formulation and implementation of improved policies, strategies, and programmes.
Md Ismiel Hossain, ndc, Secretary of the Ministry of Food, was chief guest. Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, Executive Chairman of BARC, was special guest. Maurizio Cian, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, was guest of honour. Md Momtaz Uddin, ndc, FPMU Director-General (Additional Secretary), chaired the event.
