Strengthening Urban Food Policies for Healthy Cities in Bangladesh: Experts

Experts and stakeholders emphasise the need to develop evidence-based policies to enhance urban food systems, strengthen public procurement, and ensure sustainable access to safe and nutritious food for city dwellers by bringing together policymakers, researchers, academicians, and experts.

They made the remarks at a workshop titled "Strengthening Urban Food Policies for Healthy Cities in Bangladesh".

The Local Government Division (LGD) of Bangladesh, under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives, hosted the workshop in collaboration with the Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) Project of the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Bangladesh (SAF Bangladesh).

Initiated under LGD's leadership, the workshop served as a strategic platform to advance Bangladesh's urban food and nutrition policy agenda.

The Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) project is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). It is implemented and co-financed by a public-private Swiss consortium comprising the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), ETH Zürich (Sustainable Agroecosystems Group & Laboratory of Sustainable Food Processing and World Food Systems Centre), Sight and Life, and the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation.

The NICE Project focuses on six secondary cities in Bangladesh, Kenya, and Rwanda to improve health and nutrition while contributing to poverty reduction, particularly for women, youth, and vulnerable groups. The project has been implemented in Rangpur and Dinajpur, Bangladesh, since August 2021.

The programme began with opening remarks from Swe Min Zaw, deputy secretary of the Policy Support Branch, LGD. Dr Helen Prytherch, PhD, MPH, head of Systems Strengthening & Health Promotion, Swiss TPH, provided an insightful overview of NICE.

Furthering the discussion, Md Moshfequel Alam Talukder, project manager, NICE, SAF Bangladesh, shared key perspectives on the project's initiatives. This was followed by a keynote presentation and an engaging Q&A session conducted by Hamidul H Khan, CEO of HK Consulting.

Mohammad Saiful Islam Mazomder

Recently, we have been working on urban policy. It has been in place for the past two weeks, and before that, we conducted a workshop on it. The urban policy covers all aspects of urban food systems – if you read through it, you will understand the key points. It is only 12 pages long and includes everything relevant to urban policies. However, there are significant gaps in implementation and improvement, which need to be addressed.

We have incorporated a city-centric social safety net program into the urban policy. A roadmap has also been developed to support lower- and lower-middle-class city residents. Additionally, we have established a city-level coordination committee as well as ward-level coordination committees, which include representatives from all walks of life. These committees hold monthly meetings where members can voice complaints and provide suggestions. It's great to see that the NICE project has also developed multi-sectoral platforms in Rangpur & Dinajpur to keep everyone on the same page. Collaboratively they are going strong and I hope that in the end, it will be a role model.

We are always there to support the NICE project at the national and policy levels, aligning with both our goals and objectives, which may benefit the nation more.

If you have any recommendations, we would be happy to consider them and potentially integrate them into our policy. I want to incorporate the findings and evidence-based suggestions from the NICE project.

Dr Helen Prytherch

I'd like to briefly touch on some key principles. From the discussions we've heard, certain principles are emerging, forming a kind of triangle that needs to come together.

I think we can all agree that we are here to talk about governance and public policies. A guiding framework must be in place on the public policy side. The WHO has also introduced an important aspect – community engagement – which plays a crucial role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. This extends to disease prevention as well.

When considering non-communicable diseases (NCDs), it's essential to encourage people to think about their health early – not to wait until they face a problem, but to take proactive steps to stay in shape and monitor their well-being. This sense of personal responsibility for our health is vital.

At the same time, the third component is our environment – the places we live and how they contribute to our overall health and well-being.

Issues related to urbanization significantly impact our lifestyles, making them worthy of attention. This is not to say that rural areas are without problems – there are many. However, various programs have specifically addressed malnutrition in rural communities. So, we wanted to really put this spotlight on the urban area and how the whole question of our environment or our settings, it's sometimes called the settings where we're working.

Additionally, providing a lunchtime meal is a strategically important intervention for schoolchildren, ensuring they are well-nourished and able to focus on learning. Having a population that is aware and empowered to make informed choices is essential. This, in turn, connects to the broader context of our living environments and overall well-being.

Farhad Zamil

A resilient food system is the backbone of good nutrition, ensuring that safe, diverse, and nutrient-rich foods reach all segments of society. Nutrition is not just about food availability—it depends on how food is grown, processed, distributed, and consumed. The Nutrition in City Ecosystem (NICE) project, implemented in Bangladesh alongside Kenya and Rwanda since 2021, strengthens this link by integrating agriculture, food, and health systems. Through public-private partnerships, NICE fosters locally led solutions to improve urban nutrition and food security.

Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Bangladesh (SAF Bangladesh) has been at the forefront of this transformation. With deep expertise in agriculture and food systems, SAF Bangladesh drives initiatives that make nutritious food more accessible while promoting sustainable farming practices. In cities like Rangpur and Dinajpur, NICE—alongside SAF's flagship Farmers' Hubs—has successfully expanded the supply of safe, chemical-free, and nutrient-dense produce by empowering smallholder farmers with agroecological practices. These efforts not only improve urban diets but also create economic opportunities for women and youth, strengthening
local food networks.

By addressing six UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-Being, and Sustainable Cities and Communities, NICE underscores the critical role of policy, stakeholder collaboration, and community-driven action. Strengthening the food system requires urgent investment, innovation, and collective commitment to ensure safe and nutritious food for all.

Dr Khaleda Islam

You were talking about the roadmap for our clean drinking water. One thing we considered while working on arsenic contamination in Bangladesh in the early '90s was that many countries now harvest rainwater. This could be one of the solutions to provide pure drinking water.

In a country like Bangladesh, which experiences a lot of rain during the rainy season, there was a policy at the time that required people to incorporate provisions to store rainwater when building their homes, so it could be used for drinking and other household
needs.

Regarding urban health and the health system, there was an organisation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called the Coalition of Urban Poor. They worked for some years on issues related to the urban poor, but unfortunately, they are no longer active.

As for the components of healthy food, we will keep it brief in the interest of time. Yes, we are behind on that track, but we need to focus on our current discussion. The key components of healthy food are essential. Our main initiative is to support policy initiatives from the local government division. That's why we've arranged this discussion to address the components of healthy food and how to
ensure them.

Swe Min Zaw

Urban life places us at a crossroads, offering both opportunities and challenges. One major challenge is food security, while the other is diet-related illnesses. Food safety is a pressing issue, particularly when there is limited attention given to this sector.

With over four years of experience working in city corporations, including as a General Executive Officer at Dhaka South City Corporation, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles people face in accessing safe food. Ensuring food safety is difficult when unhealthy or unsafe food is being sold, yet many people have no choice but to consume it due to affordability or availability. Speaking of this affordability and availability I must praise NICE project activities that they are working on both. They are facilitating farmers to produce safe and nutritious vegetables and deliver them to urban areas. Also, those are affordable nutritious foods, and all classes of people can afford them.

Dr Anil Kumar Das

I want to emphasize that this is very important, as the government is actively considering it. Food security, particularly urban food security, is a central focus. We are working on four civil issues through Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Rajshahi.

From this experience, we are tackling issues related to nutrition improvement, sustainable agriculture, urban agriculture development, food waste reduction, policy and governance, public governance, education, research and innovation, emergency food supply chains, and inclusive growth. These efforts align with SDG 2 and SDG 12.

In 2023, the project was completed, and the final report was submitted.

However, as of now, the government has not yet taken any action to implement the recommendations, despite the extensive engagement of the Ministry of Food and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority in the preparation of these documents.

Hamidul H Khan

Bangladesh's urban population accounts for around 40% of the total population. Around 9% of the population resides in the Dhaka metropolitan area, which contributes 36% of the country's GDP. Chattogram, the second-largest city, generates an additional 11% of the GDP and is home to 3% of the population.

The key challenges faced by cities include fragile food systems, a lack of safe, nutritious, and healthy food, food insecurity, limited access to safe water, the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), rural-urban migration, and other urban issues.

Urban food policy plays a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), creating jobs, increasing productivity, and fostering a competitive business ecosystem. Ensuring food security for the urban poor is essential, as is implementing healthy food procurement policies for government institutions such as hospitals, prisons, and other public facilities.

The policy framework for a healthy city should include smart urban agriculture and livestock policies, healthy food procurement policies, awareness-building initiatives on healthy food and nutrition, constitutional provisions for food security, policies ensuring food security for the urban poor, amendments to local government laws, policies ensuring the supply of safe water, and measures aimed at reducing pollution.

Dr Farzana Akter Dorin

When we talk about health promotion, one of the key approaches is the setting-based approach, and the Healthy City Initiative is an example of this. A healthy city is built on three major components. The first is strengthening public policy and governance. The second is enhancing health promotion and community engagement. When these three elements are implemented simultaneously, we can call a city a healthy city.

Many cities around the world participate in the WHO's Healthy City Initiative to improve governance, community engagement, and health promotion. Similarly, Bangladesh has seen various healthy city initiatives supported by different organizations in the past.

The core objectives of this initiative are to strengthen good governance and ensure active community engagement. One of the key activities within this framework is a leadership programme designed for city leaders. This programme aims to enhance their capacity to address urban challenges effectively and implement innovative solutions for a healthier city.

Md. Moshfequel Alam Talukder

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for attending the workshop. I would especially like to express my gratitude to Helen and Charles, key representatives of the NICE Consortium and its partners, who have demonstrated collaborative leadership's power in advancing urban health and sustainable agriculture.

Their expertise in health governance and agroecology has been invaluable in shaping the success of the NICE project. During their field visit to the Novara High School, Giridhorpur Farmers' Hub, Civil Surgeon Office, focal person, Rangpur City Corporation, where NICE is working, they reinforced the strong foundation of government ownership, community engagement, and the positive outcomes of the project, showcasing its real-world impact. We are deeply grateful for their leadership, support, and ongoing partnership in helping us achieve our goal of healthier cities and a sustainable food system.

NICE aims to improve nutrition and health and to reduce poverty. It does so by increasing both the demand for and supply of safe and nutritious vegetables produced using agroecological practices. NICE focuses on secondary cities.

NICE aims to improve nutrition and health and to reduce poverty. It does so by increasing both the demand for and supply of safe and nutritious vegetables produced using agroecological practices. NICE focuses on secondary cities away from the capital which are Rangpur and Dinajpur. NICE promotes best practices based on the latest evidence in nutrition, agroecology, and the encouragement of social behavioral change. NICE fosters both city-level and national ownership of food system transformation. These cities are good examples of the urban areas for improvement of urban nutrition governance.