Govt moves to formulate ‘Dhaka Food Agenda 2041’

The government is moving to formulate a policy – Dhaka Food Agenda 2041 – in a bid to develop an integrated solution to address the present and future food needs of Dhaka, the world's third-largest megacity accommodating over 20 million population.

To make this happen, the local government ministry, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), organised an initial seminar at a capital hotel on Saturday, in which the city mayors, top government officials and representatives from development partners took part, said a press release.

The rapidly-growing megacity comprising four cities – Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Narayangaj, and Gazipur – has a mismatch between food needs and what is accessible for certain populations, speakers at the event said.  

One-fifth of Dhaka's population lives below the poverty line and receives inadequate nutrition. There is a lack of availability and access to healthy food. Besides, food safety issues pose a serious threat to public health. These issues have all become even more pressing during the Covid-19 pandemic, they discussed.

The Dhaka Food Agenda 2041, being prepared with technical assistance from the Wageningen University of Research in the Netherlands, is expected to strengthen food system planning and governance in the greater area, promote nutrition and food security, upgrade fresh markets, reduce food loss and waste, improve food safety and consumer awareness and strengthen food value chains.

The agenda, a shared vision of the ministry concerned and the four city corporations, will be developed through research, pilot initiatives, and consultations.

Local Government Minister Tazul Islam, its Senior Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Netherlands Ambassador in Dhaka Anne van Leeuwen and FAO Representative in Bangladesh Robert D Simpson, among others, were present at the event, reads the release.