Barguna - With support from FAO, a rural radio station for and by remote villagers will run alongside comprehensive rehabilitation support donated by the World Bank and the European Union for farmers and fishers regularly stalked by storms.

"People in the south need more support to rebuild their livelihood after the devastation caused by cyclones Sidr and Aila. Support in crop, fisheries and livestock sectors will be supplemented by broadcasting vital information through the voices of the villagers", announced Ad Spijkers, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, in Amtali upazila under Barguna district during a meeting with farmers and officials yesterday.

"A strong information communication system can upgrade knowledge of rural people and improve livelihoods in rural setting. The community rural radio run by the rural community is extremely important in this respect", he added.

A mission with FAO experts from headquarters and the country office visited the locations for last three days. Today they discussed urgent implementation arrangements with officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Barisal.

"We should exploit the enormous potentials of the south in boosting farm production despite its vulnerability to climate change and recurrent natural disasters", opined Spijkers. "We can do it by introducing stress tolerant improved seeds and modern machines like power tillers and irrigation pumps, promoting balanced use of fertilizers and other inputs, augmenting surface water irrigation, and providing farmers and fishers with real time information on market, modern technologies and best practices through a community radio of their own”.

This community radio - permitted under the recent government opening the door for private radio operations in the country - is established jointly by the Agriculture Information Services (AIS) under the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO.

"With support from development partners, FAO has supported 1.4 million farmers after Sidr and Aila with emergency inputs for crop, fisheries and livestock", Spijkers added during the briefing in Barisal.

"The WB project (US$ 16 million) and a project under the EU Food Facility (Euro 7.4 million) for assistance against high food prices aim at supporting sustainable food security for the south."

The briefing mentioned that 12 southern districts will be covered under EU funding. Additionally, a joint programme under FAO, WFP and UNICEF (US$ 8 million) for promoting homestead gardening and improving nutrition will also run side by side.

"The Government is exploring opportunities for investment in the southern delta to attain sustainable food security for the country and introducing modern technologies and practices to achieve these goals", Mr Spijkers told the meeting.

"A master plan for investment is key to bringing the southern region back as ‘the bread basket’ of Bangladesh."

Referring to the recent Bangladesh Food Security Investment in Dhaka (26-27 May), the FAO Representative informed that they are assisting the government, along with other partners, for a comprehensive Country Investment Plan (CIP) for agriculture, food security and nutrition in the backdrop of new investment windows like the Global Agriculture and Food Security Initiative (GAFSP).

"The CIP would be instrumental for drawing enhanced domestic and foreign investment in the sector”, noted Ad Spijkers.

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Press release issued by the office of the FAO Representative in Bangladesh