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TL;DR:
- Bangladesh faces an annual food loss of over 211 million tons, accounting for 19.4% of production from farm to table.
- Experts identify lack of proper handling, storage, and transportation as major contributors to food waste.
- Agriculture Adviser emphasizes the need for modern post-harvest technologies and public-private partnerships to reduce food loss.
- Minimizing food waste is crucial for ensuring food security and addressing malnutrition in Bangladesh’s growing population.
Bangladesh is grappling with a significant challenge in food security as experts reveal that over 211 million tons of food, including crops, vegetables, and fruits, are wasted annually from production to post-harvest stages. This alarming statistic was disclosed at a seminar organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to mark World Food Day 2024.
Dr. Md Harunur Rashid, Chief Scientific Officer (Crops) at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), presented key findings showing that the country’s annual food loss and waste amounts to approximately 19.4% from production to consumption. The breakdown of losses includes 6.2 million tons at the production stage, 6.8 million tons post-harvest, 3.2 million tons during processing, 3.1 million tons in distribution, and 1.6 million tons at the consumption stage.
Agriculture Adviser Lt Gen (retd) M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, speaking as the chief guest, emphasized the need for action, stating, “We hope that no food scarcity would happen in the country if we can diminish postharvest loss and wastage of food.” He acknowledged Bangladesh’s success in increasing food production but noted the lack of significant measures to reduce post-harvest losses.
The seminar highlighted several factors contributing to food loss, including:
- Lack of knowledge on maturity indices
- Inadequate sorting and grading practices
- Improper washing with polluted water
- Inappropriate packaging and transportation
- Rough handling during loading and unloading
- Insufficient pack house and cold storage facilities
- Lack of improved post-harvest technologies
Experts at the event stressed the importance of developing modern technologies to address these issues. Dr. Rashid suggested that minimizing food waste could guarantee access to food for Bangladesh’s expanding population, calling for a holistic strategy to reduce both food loss and malnutrition.
Lt Gen Chowdhury advocated for public-private partnerships in the food production sector, stating, “We believe that modern post-harvest technology and processing systems, along with disciplined and modern transportation systems, can play a pivotal role in curbing a major part of food wastage.”
The seminar, chaired by Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, also featured speeches from Dr. Jiaoqun Shi, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, and Masudul Hasan, Secretary of the Ministry of Food.
As Bangladesh continues to make strides in food production, the focus now shifts to implementing effective strategies to reduce food loss and waste. This effort is crucial not only for ensuring food security but also for addressing broader issues of nutrition and sustainable resource management in the country.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
