SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers Faruque Ahmed Altab Hossain Dr. M. Sohel Iqbal

Introduction - The fourth meeting (two day long) of Board of Governor’s will be held at Dhaka on 27th October. The food bank didn’t come into establish after having two meeting in Colombo and one in Afghanistan,. But it’s important to make effective the SAARC food bank for fighting poverty and hunger for South Asians. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Some Reality - At least one billion people around the world go to sleep with hunger every day despite sufficient production of food for all - One fourth children of SAARC region are unexpectedly underweight - Deficit of food is not the prime cause for increasing hungry people rather the inability to purchase is very responsible. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Some Reality - At least 61 million people in Bangladesh doesn’t getting their required calories where minimum 2100 calories/day are needed to live healthy million people those who are not able to intake calories at least 1800 per day. - Bangladesh had to import 4 million metric ton food in last fiscal year despite increase the production comparatively. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Objective of SAARC Food Bank - Will act as Regional food bank during the period of food deficit, emergencies. - The food Bank will work to support the regional activities related food security, take necessary step to solve the food deficiency. mvK© dzW e¨vsK I ¶zavZ© gvby‡li cÖZ¨vkv SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Origin of SAARC Food Bank - Considering the food security, the SAARC food security reserve was established in 12th August, The amount of this security reserve was fixed 241 thousand Metric Ton, but didn’t implement yet a long time.

Origin of SAARC Food Bank The issue was discussed in 12th SAARC summit (held in Islamabad) and later on SAARC Food Bank was established instead of food security which is mainly targeted to face the disaster both human and natural through regional initiatives. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Origin of SAARC Food Bank In light of above decision the SAARC Food Bank agreement was signed in 14th summit in Delhi in To implement this agreement, SAARC Food Bank Board was established and forced the members to effect the agreement into reality. The parliament of Afghanistan didn’t ratified the agreement despite signed by all participating countries in SAARC summit. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Origin of SAARC FOOD BANK 1st board meeting hold on 15-16th October 2008 in Colombo wherein following reserve will be fixed up by the countries in SAARC Food Bank SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Activities till the date of SAARC Food Bank To decide the methodology and proper guide line of using the reserved foods during the crisis, wherein following things will be emphasizes Mentioning the location of the Foods godawn as per allocation in each of the member countries In which process will be maintained to placing the foods demand in emergency period. How the price will be declared of the demanded foods. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Identifying several process of SAARC Food Bank 2 nd meeting (Colombo, Feb’2009) and 3 rd meeting (Kabul, 8-9 Nov’ 2009) decisions in order to its smooth implementation. Increase Food Bank reserve from 2,43,000mt. to 4,86,000 MT, considering the country's food security Activities till the date of SAARC Food Bank SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SAARC Food Bank: Important articles of agreement There is an introduction and 16 articles in this agreement. All specific directions related to SAARC Food Bank, objectives, quality of reserved foods, food supply and preserving system, Food pricing, institutional arrangement, Board’s activities, secretariat etc has been included in the agreement. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

mvK© dzW e¨vsK I ¶zavZ© gvby‡li cÖZ¨vkv To decide the methodology and proper guide line of using the reserved foods during the crisis, wherein following things will be emphasizes Mentioning the location of the Foods godawn as per allocation in each of the member countries In which process will be maintained to placing the foods demand in emergency period. How the price will be declared of the demanded foods. SAARC Food Bank: Problem

mvK© dzW e¨vsK I ¶zavZ© gvby‡li cÖZ¨vkv - Identifying several process of SAARC Food Bank 2 nd meeting (Colombo, Feb’2009) and 3 rd meeting (Kabul, 8-9 Nov’ 2009) decisions in order to its smooth implementation. - Increase Food Bank reserve from 2,43,000mt. to 4,86,000 MT, considering the country's food security SAARC Food Bank: Problem

SARRC FOOD BANK: PROBLEMS SAARC leaders should have the mentality to uphold their regional cohesiveness instead of intra-state interest. Lack of political will always remain the problem to execution of decisions even in emergency supply. Cooperation by the bureaucracy of member states is also a matter to implement all the political decisions. (1) Lack of Political Will and Bureaucratic Cooperation SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SARRC FOOD BANK: PROBLEMS SAARC Food Bank cold not contribute yet to any country during any emergency after its inauguration During the Cyclone SIDR, AILA of Bangladesh or in recent devastating flood of Pakistan – the SFB failed to provide services Afghanistan yet to ratification of SFB. This technical problem also a constraint to make the food bank effective. ( 2) Not effective during need SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SARRC FOOD BANK: PROBLEMS The cost of economic inefficiency remains a bigger burden to buyer country/countries. SAARC Food Bank should agree to a price mechanism which would offer concessional price closer to open market (3) Lack of rationality to fix the price SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SARRC FOOD BANK: PROBLEMS There is no standard process of quality control of food grains The government/s sometimes manipulates statistical data to show steadily higher food grains production every year to increase the creditability of the government in power (4) Quality of food grains and providing wrong statistics intentionally SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SARRC FOOD BANK: PROBLEMS (5) Long delay in decision making Board TCARD Standing Committee Council of Ministers SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SAARC FOOD BANK: OUR PROPOSAL (1) Latest amount of proposed reserve ( mt) is not enough to meet the need of this region. It should be increased at least up to 1 million mt. SFB should introduce the process to buy food grains cheaper than the open market. It may be the half of international price. Countries may store the food grains near the boarder for quicker delivery in any emergency SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SAARC FOOD BANK: OUR PROPOSAL (2) Evolving the concept of global food bank and then increase the relation with it Establish international court on food rights Strong role of regional leaders SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SAARC FOOD BANK: OUR PROPOSAL (3) 1.Increase food production 2.Invest on agriculture and agricultural production 3.Research on agricultural research and protect soil’s fertility 4.Develop agricultural technology and share 5.Learning from the best practices on purchase and marketing system and 6.Risk management of climate on agriculture Implement 6 project policy of SAARC Agricultural Perspective 2020 SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

SAARC FOOD BANK: OUR PROPOSAL (4) Political leaders should more dedicate on regional issues Make easy operational process of food bank ‘Always ready to supply in need’ – should be the image of SAARC food bank. For this a long term plan is necessary. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers

Thanks for your patience and attention. SAARC FOOD BANK and Expectations of Hungers