Dhaka, – FAO held a workshop to mark the completion of a UN joint programme that examined the impact of the 5F crisis (food, feed, fuel, fertilizer, and finance) in Bangladesh.

COVID-19 and then the Ukraine crisis have raised commodity prices, disrupted trade, created supply shortages, and unleashed food price inflation for many countries. The resulting 5F crisis has shown up structural weaknesses and exposed areas of low resilience in global agrifood systems, significantly derailing progress towards the achievement of the 2030 SDG Agenda and contributing towards food and nutrition insecurity, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable.

The FAO-led initiative involved WFP, UNICEF and IFAD, under the coordination of the UNRC office. The work undertaken together provides the data and analysis needed to develop and refine effective policy responses.

Guests at the event included: Subhra Bhattacharjee, Strategic Planner and Head of United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office in Bangladesh; Domenico Scalpelli, Country Director, WFP Bangladesh; Robert D Simpson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh; Md Ruhul Amin Talukder, Additional Secretary, PPC Wing, Ministry of Agriculture; Md. Ismiel Hossain ndc, Secretary, Ministry of Food; and Md Momtaz Uddin ndc, Director-General, Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, Ministry of Food.

FAO and WFP worked together to develop a vulnerability assessment of urban poor communities. Specifically, FAO conducted an assessment to identify and validate a set of selection criteria based on vulnerability and food security conditions that can be used for urban social safety net programmes, with a focus on the needs of women. FAO surveyed almost 6 500 households in urban poor communities. The criteria was then used by WFP to identify vulnerable and food insecure households and to register eligible households for targeted assistance through a public food distribution system.

FAO also conducted a rapid assessment of the impact of the 5F crisis on agri-food production and trade. The government’s robust and effective response lays the foundations for further action.

FAO also partnered with WFP to produce an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Acute Analysis. This brought together 20 partners and almost 50 analysts from government, UN agencies and NGOs, to classify vulnerable, disaster-prone districts into food insecurity levels. Each district’s food security was assessed using current information related to nutrition, consumption, livelihood, and the district’s vulnerability to disasters and shocks. It covered 15 districts and two special areas with a combined population of 38 million people. A final report is being drafted.