Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday said Bangladesh's food security must be ensured despite global pressure on reducing carbon emissions in the agriculture sector.
He was addressing a session on “Building Climate Resilience in Food System in Bangladesh” organized by the food ministry at the Bangladesh pavilion at the ongoing COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh of Egypt, said a press release.
The minister said it is a big challenge to provide food to the people of Bangladesh as there was food deficit in the 1950s when the population was about 55 million, he added.
He said every year farmland decreases by 1%. “Though the population of the country now is about 170 million, the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ensured food security in the country," said Hasan, also an Awami League joint general secretary.
"But it becomes an additional challenge for us when we are asked to reduce methane and carbon emissions in the agriculture sector. We have to make our agriculture climate-tolerant while ensuring food security as we cannot do anything that will disrupt food security," said Hasan.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Affairs Additional Secretary Md Moniruzzaman, environmentalist Selim Ul Haque, representative of the World Food Organization Nansi Aburto and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition Executive Director Dr Lorense Haddad, among others, took part in the session.
Joint Food Secretary Md Habibur Rahman conducted it.
