Women's role in finances, climate-smart tech crucial for food security, experts say
Increasing women's participation in family financial management and the involvement of the private sector in making climate-smart agricultural technology accessible are essential for ensuring food security and nutrition without harming the climate, said speakers at a recent roundtable.
The roundtable titled "Climate Smart Agriculture: The Role of Women and the Private Sector in Promoting Sustainable Nutrition Security" was organised by The Business Standard and Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome (JANO) Project yesterday in the capital.
They further said the prolonged heatwave is damaging the flowers and buds of crops, causing a decline in water levels, destroying many crops due to the dry season in the northern region, and deteriorating soil health. The situation is projected to worsen in the coming days.
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At this time, increased involvement of women is crucial to ensure family nutrition through climate-smart agriculture, requiring access to finance within the family. Moreover, the private sector should be increasingly involved in this realm, providing various advanced technologies and inputs.
Dr Md Reajul Huq, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services, said, "Ensuring nutrition is not a quick-fix solution; it is an ongoing process. People have long been accustomed to rice and should gradually reduce consumption to incorporate milk and eggs into their diets."
He stressed the importance of planning diversified crops to maintain soil health while ensuring a combined supply of human and animal food. "If cattle can be fed on grass instead of grains, it is possible to produce safe meat, which will not pose health risks even with increased consumption," he added.
Arfan Uzzaman, National Climate Change MRV expert at FAO, expressed concerns over the decreasing water levels, projected to decline by 90% by 2050 according to UN data, which will significantly impact agriculture.
He stressed on the need to enhance adaptation measures in response to this challenge.
"We have already witnessed a noticeable increase in temperatures. The potential of carbon markets in agriculture remains largely untapped. There is an opportunity to engage farmers in this sector," he said.
Mahbubur Rahman, Research Director of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit, said the Ministry of Food revised the 2006 food policy in 2020, shifting the focus towards nutrition, given its growing importance alongside food security.
"With current temperatures reaching 42-43 degrees Celsius and projected to increase by another 1.7% by 2050, we must assess the potential impact on the standard of living in our livestock and agriculture sectors," he said.
"In this context, there is no alternative but to enhance the participation of women. With over 45% of the labour force engaged in agriculture, women play a significant role in the backward linkages of livestock," he added.
Dr Ebna Habib Md Shofiur Rahaman, Senior Manager at the International Potato Centre, said, "Farmers in the southern region want water for food and agriculture. They cannot grow more than one crop. Therefore, there should be an expansion of tolerant varieties of rice and potato that have been invented."
He underscored that around 58% of women in the region are engaged in agriculture due to male migration for work. These women require greater exposure to technology, he added.
Margherita Capalbi, Program Manager for Agriculture and Rural Development, Food and Nutrition Security at the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, expressed concern over Bangladesh's significant vulnerability to climate change. She noted that half of the women in Bangladesh are employed in the agricultural sector, providing them with substantial opportunities to contribute in various capacities.
Rokebul Hasan, Principal Scientific Officer and Head of BRRI, Rangpur, said that BRRI has developed 115 hybrid and inbred varieties of rice, including those with enhanced nutrition as well as resistance to drought and salinity.
Khandakar Farhad Hossain, USAID Project Implementation Specialist, pointed out, "While the balanced nutrition in our food may be contributing to a decrease in stunting rates in the country, we also need to address the increasing prevalence of obesity."
Muhammad Eftakhaul Islam, Consultant for Public and Private Sector Engagement at the JANO Project, delivered the keynote speech, saying, "The JANO Project funded by the EU and Co-funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation is currently underway in seven upazilas of Nilphamari, Rangpur. This project is implementing by CARE Bangladesh, Plan International and ESDO. By establishing 'nutrition gardens', the project aims to address family nutrition deficiencies. With 1.48 million participants, 86% of whom are women, the project is making significant strides."
Professor Dr AQM Shafiul Azam, Director of Planning and Development at the Directorate of Secondary & Higher Education, underlined the substantial changes occurring in education. He underscored the need for education to equip the next generation for an unpredictable world shaped by technology and climate change.
He also noted the integration of nutrition awareness into education and advocated for educating students about climate change from an early age.
The programme was moderated by TBS Deputy Editor Sajjadur Rahman. Additionally, Md Mizanur Rahman, Senior Team Leader at Joint Action for Nutrition Outcome, JANO Project of CARE Bangladesh has summarised the key points of discussion at his closing remarks; Maruf Azam, Senior Team Leader of CARE Bangladesh addressed the welcome speech representing the Country Director of CARE Bangladesh, Mostafa Faruk al Banna, Research Director at FPMU; Dr S M Abu Bakar Saiful Islam, Deputy Director at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) in Rangpur; Lutfor Rahman, Executive Director and CEO of Greentech Foundation; Hasina Akhter, Country Director at Helen Keller International; Raisa Shamma, Research Associate at IFPRI, Arunava Saha. Deputy Director-Integrated Technical Program Development, World Vision Bangladesh, Archi Ananya, Impact Measurement & Partnership Manager at iFarmer, and many others also delivered remarks.
