FOOD SECURITY Concepts, Basic Facts, and Measurement Issues June 26 to July 7, 2011 Dhaka, Bangladesh

Kazal 6f: Measurement and Policy Feedback for Food Security in Bangladesh Learning: Based on a variety of information sources, trainees will learn about overall achievement of food security in Bangladesh. They will also learn about the priority investment programs and policies, and assess their impact on food and nutrition status.

Brief Contents status of food security and nutrition level in Bangladeshstatus of food security and nutrition level in Bangladesh research activities related to food security, nutrition and policy frameworkresearch activities related to food security, nutrition and policy framework implications and achievements of policies aimed at food and nutrition security in Bangladeshimplications and achievements of policies aimed at food and nutrition security in Bangladesh priority investment programmes to improve food and nutrition securitypriority investment programmes to improve food and nutrition security overall policy considerationsoverall policy considerations the way forward and implementation of challengesthe way forward and implementation of challenges

Figure : Annual foodgrain production and crop-wise contribution Status of food security and nutrition level in Bangladesh

Public Distribution of Foodgrain Table : Channel-wise distribution of foodgrain (thousand mt)

Public Stock of Foodgrains Table : Commodity-wise month-end public foodgrain stock in FY 2010/11 (thousand mt)

Rice and wheat wholesale prices

Status of food security and nutrition level in Bangladesh Figure: Changes in infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices

Status of food security and nutrition level in Bangladesh Optimal infant and young child feeding practices are among the most effective interventions to improve child nutrition and health. It is imperative that infant and young child feeding is strategically mainstreamed as a key component in food security and nutrition development programmes. Urgent actions need to be taken to enhance timely initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth and promote exclusive breast feeding for the first six months and appropriate complementary feeding

Implications and achievements of policies aimed at food and nutrition security in Bangladesh Despite a spectacular increase in food production, Bangladesh has faced persistent challenges in achieving food security due to (a)natural disasters and consequent crop losses; (b)fluctuations in food prices caused by volatility in the international markets; (c)failure to steady maintenance of domestic stocks; (d)inept monitoring of markets to prevent syndication that creates an artificial scarcity of food items and increases prices; and (e)absence of income generating activities that add to the purchasing power of poor people.

Research activities related to food security, nutrition and policy framework Institutional research activities  University level  Research institutions  NGOs Especially, NFPCSP is supporting to conduct research related to food security and nutrition

Priority investment programmes to improve food and nutrition security In line with the main thrusts of the NFP and its PoA, the revised NSAPR II gives special consideration to  vulnerable groups, especially women and children, indigenous people, the extreme poor, and for the first time, the disabled, as well as to addressing the specific needs of disaster prone and other disadvantaged areas.  a comprehensive strategy for the agricultural sector (both crop and non- crop).  The strategy underscores a technological breakthrough to improve agricultural/food production performance, diversification into non-rice higher value crops (maize, oil seeds, but also fruits and vegetables) and increasing non-cereal production (fish, milk, meat) for better nutrition outcomes, along with efforts to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity and cope with climate change.

Policy Documents

Overall policy considerations The policy framework in which the CIP is grounded is the National Food Policy (NFP). The Plan of Action of the NFP ( ) translates the provisions of the NFP into 26 areas of interventions and priority actions, providing a comprehensive framework for identifying investment and priorities for policy actions required to achieve food security. Urgent issues of policy consideration:  Access to and tenure of land and water resources  Access to credit and other financial resources  Subsidized distribution of fertilizers  Private sector investment in agriculture

Policy Considerations Negative impacts of subsidized distribution of fertilizers (i)diversion of budget resources away from potential investments towards subsidies; (ii)distortion in the use of fertilizers (towards more subsidized ones) in contradiction with aims to optimize the use of fertilizers; (iii)distraction of extension agents who spend large amounts of time monitoring the distribution process at the expense of technical work. The possibility to convert into cash subsidies should be explored;

More specific policy issues have been incorporated in the design of the CIP An enabling policy for fostering education both at a higher level (for research purposes) and a professional level (for extension workers) is required.An enabling policy for fostering education both at a higher level (for research purposes) and a professional level (for extension workers) is required. Policies should enable fair access to markets by farmers and consumers, particularly for some commodities key to food and nutrition security (e.g. milk).Policies should enable fair access to markets by farmers and consumers, particularly for some commodities key to food and nutrition security (e.g. milk).

More specific policy issues have been incorporated in the design of the CIP The need for a more effective and better governed regulatory and quality control of inputs so as to protect smallholders and enable them to invest in improved techniques and inputs;The need for a more effective and better governed regulatory and quality control of inputs so as to protect smallholders and enable them to invest in improved techniques and inputs; A need to further clarify trade-offs between various uses of food stocks (safety net to food insecure; price control purpose and emergency stocks)A need to further clarify trade-offs between various uses of food stocks (safety net to food insecure; price control purpose and emergency stocks) The need to improve the nutrition outcome of the CIP by mainstreaming nutrition outcomes throughout the CIP programmes and strengthening activities specifically dealing with nutrition.The need to improve the nutrition outcome of the CIP by mainstreaming nutrition outcomes throughout the CIP programmes and strengthening activities specifically dealing with nutrition.

THE WAY FORWARD AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES The CIP is a tool in the hand of the Government to increase and improve investment in food security, i.e. agriculture, fisheries and livestock, food access and safety nets and nutrition activities.  Resource mobilization activities  capacity development activities  strong momentum  strong dialogue  Policy dialogue  Knowledge sharing and effective learning

THE WAY FORWARD AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES  strong momentum developed with all actors involved, including consumer groups, farmer and producer organizations, private sector, NGOs, Government and development partners to ensure their support of the CIP, including its financing and implementation.  a strong dialogue on investment in food and nutrition security using the CIP as the key strategic and collaborative instrument for creating a more enabling framework for increased investments from both the public and the private sector.  The policy dialogue on investment should be mainstreamed in the National Food Policy, focused on the critical elements for the CIP