To mark World Food Day 2019 in Bangladesh, the FAO held a rally today starting outside the national parliament, followed by a seminar and the opening of a three-day food fair.

The theme of this year’s World Food Day is healthy diets for a #ZeroHunger World. FAO, a long-term partner of Bangladesh, is dedicated to achieving food security for all and to make sure that all people have regular access to enough high-quality, nutritious food to lead active, healthy lives.

At the seminar, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture with the support of FAO, the chief guest was the Minister of Food, Mr. Sadhan Chandra Majumder, MP. The special guests were the Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Mr. Md. Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru, MP, and Krishibid Abdul Mannan, MP, member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Agriculture. The executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Dr. Md. Kabir Ikramul Haque, gave a welcome speech. The keynote speaker was presented by Dr. Md. Visith Chavasit, Director of the Institute of Nutrition at Mahidol University in Thailand. Dr. Md. Abdul Muyeed, Director of the field service wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), made the closing remarks.

FAO Representative Mr Robert D. Simpson said: “Bangladesh has made huge strides to ensure food security and nutrition for its large and growing population. Yet significant challenges remain.

“As Bangladesh has become wealthier, nutrition security is becoming increasingly complex. The country is facing the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition and overnutrition coexist with micronutrient deficiency.

“As people become richer, they tend to move from seasonal, mainly plant-based and fibre-rich dishes to diets that are high in refined starches, sugar, fats, salt, processed foods, meat and other animal-source products. Less time is spent preparing meals at home, and consumers, especially in urban areas, increasingly rely on supermarkets, fast food outlets, street food vendors, and take-away restaurants.

“On the occasion of World Food Day 2019, let’s all think more about what we eat. Let’s all start to eat healthier.”