Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said mutual cooperation can ensure food and nutrition security in the BIMSTEC region.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, 9 April, joining online the third BIMSTEC agriculture ministers' meeting held in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The meeting was chaired by Ramnath Adhikari, Nepal's Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, and ministers from the relevant ministries of the member countries took part.

The adviser said BIMSTEC has worked for more than two decades on the economic growth and sustainable development of member states, and Bangladesh is committed to working to fulfil the organisation's aims. There are many opportunities for member states to work together to ensure food and nutrition security in the region, he said.

He said agriculture, livestock and fisheries are not just economic sectors but pillars of food security, livelihoods and rural development in the region. Agriculture is the main driver of production and employment for the betterment of hundreds of millions of people in the region. But the sector faces many challenges, including climate change, unequal distribution and trade deficits. To overcome them, he said, emphasis must be placed on mutual coordination, sustainable cooperation and research.

Describing the Bay of Bengal as one of the main sources of fisheries resources in the BIMSTEC region, the adviser said it supports the survival, economy and protein needs of crores of people. Member countries including Bangladesh have shown success in fish production, but pollution and climate change are harming fish production in the region, and member states must work together on this.

Focusing on food security in the region, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said 180 crore people live in the BIMSTEC region, and natural disasters and various other factors put food security at risk. Member states must strengthen coordination to build a BIMSTEC food reserve through collective self-reliance, in line with the policy proposed by the BIMSTEC secretary general, he said, adding that Bangladesh is ready to take the lead on this.

Giving special emphasis to climate change, the adviser said it is damaging agriculture and biodiversity and increasing health risks. To tackle the crisis, investment and cooperation in research and innovation must be increased for adaptation, and Bangladesh is ready to lead in setting up a permanent research centre on the issue.

The adviser also called for removing tariff and non-tariff barriers among member states to increase trade in agricultural products.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.