Self-reliance in seed production necessary for sustainable food security: speakers
Business Desk: Dhaka, Apr-06,
Members of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers and Commerce (FBCCI) standing committee on Agriculture, Agricultural Processing, and Agro-based Industries, at their first meeting, have called for increasing local seed production to make the country’s food security sustainable.
FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin addressed the meeting as the chief guest held at the FBCCI office here today, said a press release.
He said food security is one of the most important issues for any country. The country’s Agro-production kept its economy at a relatively better position during the Covid-19 epidemic.
The government has taken various initiatives to turn agro-based industries into export-oriented industries. Therefore, the FBCCI chief urged the private sector entrepreneurs to come forward to invest in this sector.
He said that although Bangladeshi agricultural products are exported abroad as there the buyers are mainly expatriate Bangladeshis.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a multinational professional services network of firms, has been appointed to conduct research in the London market to find out why these products are not being sold in the mainstream market.
After receiving the research data, the FBCCI president hoped that it will be possible to further increase the export of Bangladeshi agricultural products in overseas markets.
“The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries are interested in taking halal food from Bangladesh. Hence there is a lot of potential in this sector,” the president informed.
Earlier, the Director In-Charge of the committee Dr. Ferdousi Begum said huge import dependence of seeds is a risk to the food security of the country. So, long-term investment required for achieving the capacity in seed
production.
She urged the government to invest more in this sector.
“Fifty four per cent of the labor force in agriculture is women. Equal pay for this huge number of workers has not yet been ensured,” Co-chair of the committee Tasfia Jashim said, adding that formal recognition of women’s
contribution to sustainable development in agriculture is important.
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, senior vice-president of the FBCCI, assured that the recommendations received at the standing committee meeting would be conveyed to the concerned government officials for its implementation.
He also promised to support any assistance from the FBCCI for the development of the agricultural sector.
Earlier, the chairman of the committee Md. Abul Hashem said a national conference will be organised soon on the initiative of the standing committee.
FBCCI Directors Bijoy Kumar Kejriwal and Harun or Rashid, Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, Co-Chairmen of the Standing Committee and other members were present, among others, at the meeting.
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