UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh has achieved a remarkable success in poverty alleviation but achieving better nutrition still faces some hurdles, speakers told at a seminar here on Tuesday.
In Bangladesh, 7.3 million under-five children remain stunted (chronic malnutrition), 2.9 million are wasted due to under-nutrition, 9.2 million suffer from anemia, while 24 percent women suffer from chronic malnutrition, they said while discussing on research findings. The speakers said diversity of agricultural production and agri-food value chain beyond farm needs special attention to ensure food security and fight against under-nutrition problem. The seminar, titled ‘Nexus between Agricultural and Nutrition: Bangladesh Case’, held at Brac Inn Auditorium in the city organised by Brac’s Research and Evaluation Division under the international research programme Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA), said a press release.
Agriculture Secretary Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah attended the seminar as the chief guest. Director of Research and Evaluation Division, Brac Prof Abdul Bayes, among others, spoke at the seminar.
A research study on ‘Agri-Food Value Chain Interventions: A Case Study on Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato as Food Fortification Initiative in Bangladesh’ was presented by the Programme Head of Brac’s Agriculture and Food Security Programme (AFSP) Dr Md Sirajul Islam. The session was led by head of Brac’s Impact Assessment Unit Andrew Jenkins where International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)’s Chief of Party Dr Akhter Ahmed, BRAC’s Research and Evaluation Division’s senior research fellow Barnali Chakraborty, researcher of BRAC-LANSA Dr. Uttam Kumar Deb also presented papers. The presentations were followed by open discussion.
Highlighting key points of the research, Dr Sirajul Islam said, “Now we need to focus on how agri-food value chain to market distribution process can develop. With this initiative, we can ensure proper nutrition to poor and under privileged people. This is going to be the next success of farm under food distribution management.” He also mentioned that Orange Fleshed Sweet potato production which contains Beta-Carotene can play a vital role in preventing under nutrition problem and compared market price between Potato and Orange Flashed Sweet potato.
Dr Akhter said the main concern of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Gender Linkages (ANGel) project in Bangladesh is to increase investment in agricultural activities. “And also empower women in agriculture to ensure nutrition support.” About nutritional wellbeing in Haor areas of the country, Barnali Chakraborty said, “Nutrition problem is extreme in Bangladesh, and 45 percent children are stunted in the Haor area. To prevent this situation, BRAC initiated a pilot project in 2013 at the upazila level.”
Moinuddin said, the government has taken various initiatives to develop and increase nutrition for mass people.
The objective of the Ministry of Agriculture initiated ANGeL pilot project is to identify actions and investments in agriculture that can leverage agricultural development for improved nutrition.
Bangladesh has achieved a remarkable success in poverty alleviation but achieving better nutrition still faces some hurdles, speakers told at a seminar here on Tuesday.
In Bangladesh, 7.3 million under-five children remain stunted (chronic malnutrition), 2.9 million are wasted due to under-nutrition, 9.2 million suffer from anemia, while 24 percent women suffer from chronic malnutrition, they said while discussing on research findings. The speakers said diversity of agricultural production and agri-food value chain beyond farm needs special attention to ensure food security and fight against under-nutrition problem. The seminar, titled ‘Nexus between Agricultural and Nutrition: Bangladesh Case’, held at Brac Inn Auditorium in the city organised by Brac’s Research and Evaluation Division under the international research programme Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA), said a press release.
Agriculture Secretary Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah attended the seminar as the chief guest. Director of Research and Evaluation Division, Brac Prof Abdul Bayes, among others, spoke at the seminar.
A research study on ‘Agri-Food Value Chain Interventions: A Case Study on Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato as Food Fortification Initiative in Bangladesh’ was presented by the Programme Head of Brac’s Agriculture and Food Security Programme (AFSP) Dr Md Sirajul Islam. The session was led by head of Brac’s Impact Assessment Unit Andrew Jenkins where International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)’s Chief of Party Dr Akhter Ahmed, BRAC’s Research and Evaluation Division’s senior research fellow Barnali Chakraborty, researcher of BRAC-LANSA Dr. Uttam Kumar Deb also presented papers. The presentations were followed by open discussion.
Highlighting key points of the research, Dr Sirajul Islam said, “Now we need to focus on how agri-food value chain to market distribution process can develop. With this initiative, we can ensure proper nutrition to poor and under privileged people. This is going to be the next success of farm under food distribution management.” He also mentioned that Orange Fleshed Sweet potato production which contains Beta-Carotene can play a vital role in preventing under nutrition problem and compared market price between Potato and Orange Flashed Sweet potato.
Dr Akhter said the main concern of the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Gender Linkages (ANGel) project in Bangladesh is to increase investment in agricultural activities. “And also empower women in agriculture to ensure nutrition support.” About nutritional wellbeing in Haor areas of the country, Barnali Chakraborty said, “Nutrition problem is extreme in Bangladesh, and 45 percent children are stunted in the Haor area. To prevent this situation, BRAC initiated a pilot project in 2013 at the upazila level.”
Moinuddin said, the government has taken various initiatives to develop and increase nutrition for mass people.
The objective of the Ministry of Agriculture initiated ANGeL pilot project is to identify actions and investments in agriculture that can leverage agricultural development for improved nutrition.
