By Sushree Sarkar

Despite steady progress in raising farm output, food and nutrition security remains a major national challenge in Bangladesh. Many people still lack safe, nutritious and balanced food. Child malnutrition, stunting, anaemia and nutrient deficiencies among pregnant women are all holding back development. The bigger challenge now is not just production or availability but guaranteeing quality, safety and balance in what people eat.

Natural disasters, floods, droughts and river erosion still make food uncertain for many families. On top of that, rising prices of essentials have squeezed ordinary people's purchasing power. Adulteration and chemical use in markets are making even everyday food unsafe. And if farmers do not get a fair price for what they grow, the food production system itself could suffer in the long run.

Malnutrition is still the country's largest public health problem. Many families get enough rice and lentils but cannot make up their shortfall of protein, vitamins or minerals. A rice-dependent diet narrows the chance of eating a balanced meal. Child stunting, low weight and anaemia in pregnant mothers all cause long-term national damage. Readily available foods in the market include chemically treated fruit and foods with excess colouring or preservatives, making the daily diet risky.

The causes include rising prices of essential foods, climate-related losses, adulteration and unsafe storage, weak supply chains from producer to consumer, and a lack of awareness about nutrition.

Nutrition education must be strengthened, from schools and colleges to community clinics. Mobile health services can play an effective role in maternal and child nutrition. Systems that take farm produce directly from farmers to market, cooperative markets and digital agriculture platforms all need to be made stronger.

Production will not last if farmers do not get fair prices. Those involved in producing, storing and selling adulterated food must face strict punishment, and monitoring by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority must be stepped up. Price control and subsidies for eggs, milk, fish, vegetables and fruit would help secure ordinary people's nutrition.

Food and nutrition security is closely tied to the country's overall development, public health, productivity and the mental and physical growth of future generations. Without safe food, the desired progress in education, employment or the economy is not possible. So alongside higher output, ensuring the quality, nutritional value and safety of food is now the most pressing demand of the time.

To build a healthy, aware and capable Bangladesh, food and nutrition security must become a national priority. Today's investment will give the next generation a strong foundation and a healthy, prosperous future.

The writer is a student at Rajshahi College.

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