Dhaka:Food Minister Afroza Khanam has advocated for the creation of an integrated national strategy to prevent food waste, emphasizing that no single ministry can effectively tackle the issue alone.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister highlighted the necessity for coordinated efforts among various ministries and institutions, including those responsible for agriculture, fisheries and livestock, environment, industries, and local government. She stressed that stronger coordination would lead to more effective outcomes.
Minister Khanam made these remarks while serving as the chief guest at a national dialogue titled "Save Food, Secure Bangladesh's Food Future National Dialogue on Loss and Waste" held in Dhaka. The event was organized jointly by the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) of the Ministry of Food and the Bangladesh office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
During the dialogue, the minister urged that discussions should translate into actionable decisions and practical initiatives, which would, in turn, benefit people's lives. She emphasized that preventing food waste involves saving food, appreciating farmers' labor, conserving national resources, and ensuring food security.
She also highlighted the need for maximum utilization of produced food by enhancing awareness across production, storage, transportation, marketing, and consumer levels. The minister called for collaborative efforts by the government, private sector, development partners, researchers, producers, and consumers to prevent food waste and fulfill the commitment to providing safe and nutritious food under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
FAO Representative in Bangladesh, Jiaoqun Shi, speaking as a special guest, reiterated the importance of coordinated initiatives to reduce food loss and waste. The dialogue was chaired by Food Secretary Abu Taher Md Masud Rana, with FPMU Director General Md Mahbubur Rahman delivering the welcome address.
Keynote speakers, including Professor Dr. Manjurul Alam, Professor Naushad Alam, and Dr. M. Khalequzzaman, discussed challenges and effective strategies for reducing food loss and waste. They noted that according to FAO estimates, around 13.3 percent of the world's total food production is lost before reaching the retail stage, and UNEP reported approximately 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste at various levels in 2022. Addressing food loss and waste is crucial to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3.
The dialogue was attended by government and private-sector officials, food and nutrition experts, academics, researchers, and representatives from development partners and donor agencies.