Stop wasting food, ensure daily meals for others
Right to Food Bangladesh-Christian Aid seminar told
Speakers at a seminar yesterday urged all to stop wasting food which is an efficient way of ensuring food security for all.
If the wastage can be resisted, a large number of people will be benefited and able to have daily meals on a regular basis, they added.
They were addressing a seminar organised by Right to Food Bangladesh, a civil society platform, in association with Christian Aid in the capital's Cirdap auditorium.
People waste more than 10 percent of their daily consumption in the country, Nazneen Ahmed, senior research fellow of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said based on their recent study conducted at 540 households in Barisal.
Citing a Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nation's 2011 report, she said around 1.3 billion tonnes of food have been wasted every year around the world.
Khondker Ibrahim Khaled, eminent economist and vice chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, said habit of wasting food has to be stopped. Suggesting a countrywide awareness campaign, he said the wastage will not be stopped by imposing laws only, people have to be aware of it.
Jahanara, a farmer from Barisal, said wastage of food should be stopped from the beginning of its production since a large amount of crops get damaged because of insects and rats.
Dr Khursheed Jahan, a professor of Dhaka University, said a balanced diet is also important to stop the wastage and ensure nutrition, which should be maintained from an early age.
Speaking as the chief guest, Food Minister Qamrul Islam said mothers have to be more cautious about their kids' diet and overall family consumption. The government has achieved self-sufficiency in food, and now planning to form laws to ensure safe and hygienic food, he added.
Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque, chairman of Bangladesh Food Safety Authority; Mohsin Ali, executive director of Wave Foundation; Sanjib Biswas Sanjoy, programme manager of Christian Aid; and Muhammad Hilaluddin, director of Angikar Bangladesh; also spoke.