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Food before bio-fuel

Bangladesh draws focus on hunger as world observes food day

Staff Correspondent
The agriculture minister yesterday said the developed world's policy to support bio-fuel is a mockery of the hunger of the poor.
At a seminar organised to observe the World Food Day, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury said, "... many people in Africa are starving to death. But more and more farmlands are being used for growing crops for bio-fuel for use in the cars of the rich."
Matia also blamed the surge in oil prices for high food prices and called on Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to raise its voice to bring stability in fuel prices.
“Food, hunger and politics are inter-related. Bangladesh is bearing the brunt of a spiral in oil prices today," she said at the seminar held at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.
Referring to a poster of a hungry child with an eagle flying over its head, Matia said scientists are doing research on bio-fuel production when children go without food.
Matia's comments came after International Food Policy Research Institute last week said the United States and the European Union are subsidising bio-fuel production and farmers are switching to the cultivation of biofuel crops like maize. It said this dramatic increase in pro-bio-fuel policies poses a major challenge.
A rally and a fair on food were also held yesterday at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council to raise awareness about keeping food prices at tolerable level.
Food and Disaster Management Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque and Fishery and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas also spoke at the seminar.
Food and Disaster
Management Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said once Bangladesh received 12-13 lakh tonnes of food aid from abroad but food aid has slumped to below 1 one lakh tonnes now.
He said the government's food stock increased to a record level while food distribution and market intervention have also risen. The government distributed 12.5 lakh tonnes of grains through open market sales.
Thisyear'sWorld Food Day was observed with the slogan: “Food prices—from crisis to stability" to shed light on the trend that is hurting the poor. In Bangladesh alone, 2.7 crore (27 million) poor do not get enough food.
At the seminar, former secretary Prof Zahurul Karim blamed fall in agriculture productivity due to under investment in research, population growth and surging fuel prices for the hike in food prices.
Quoting FAO Director General Dominique Burgeon,
the FAO representative in Bangladesh called for elimination of trade-distorting subsidy in agriculture by the richer countries. FAO also called for greater transparency in futures markets to enable governments and traders make informed decisions and avoid panic or irrational reactions.
World Food Programme yesterday called for food assistance for humanitarian crisis. It said food assistance plays a vital role in supporting the recovery in the aftermath of disasters and building resilience that is necessary to ensure food security. It said food assistance can play a role in protecting the vulnerable communities that are affected by food price volatility.
Campaign for Right to Food and Social Security in a statement yesterday demanded effective market monitoring by the government to keep food prices stable.