No chance of food crisis amid corona pandemic : Dr Razzaque

Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzaque on Thursday said the country would not face any food crisis due to the effect of the corona virus, specifying that government's quick and timely initiatives have been intensified to arrest its negative impact on food production.

"We are hopeful that there is no chance of food crisis in the country by the impact of global corona pandemic", he said in an online address while joining at 35th Asia and Pacific regional conference (APRC)of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at Hotel Intercontinental here.

It is difficult to explain that what would be the long term effect of the pandemic on food and nutrition, the minister told the conference which is being participated by 46 countries from Asia and the Pacific region.

But Bangladesh has taken quick and timely initiatives to face the dire consequence of the pandemic, he told the forum attended by the agriculture ministers from the APRC's member countries.

The 35th Session of the Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific is being held virtually from 1-4 September 2020, on a videoconferencing platform, on an exceptional basis, in light of the global Covid-19 pandemic and associated public health concerns.

The move to a virtual format followed consultations with the FAO Director-General, the Regional Groups representing member nations, and with the concurrence of the Host Country, Bhutan.

Razzaque who also leading Bangladesh delegation in the conference said the government is providing incentives to the growers in order to keep the food production continue.

Chaired by Bhutanese Agriculture and Forests Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Penjor, the conference was attended, among others, by FAO Director General Qu Dongyu, Agriculture Secretary M Nasiruzzaman, Food Secretary Dr Musammat Nazmanara Khanum and FAO representative in Bangladesh Robert D Simpson.