The Food and Agriculture Organisation is set to work towards the country's overall agricultural development, food security, nutrition and food safety in the next four years.

The move comes as part of the LIN agency's revised plans for the country. FAO will now provide assistance close to $100 million or above in various priority projects.

FAO Bangladesh will focus on delivering technical assistance programmes which develop capacity and institutions for the long-term benefit of food security in the country, FAO Representative Mike Robson said at the programme's launch yesterday.

The I IN agency will pay particular attention to haor, coast, Chittagong FI ill Tracts, Barind and Peat basin areas, which currently lag in the process of sustainable development.

It will also promote 'decent' rural on- and off-farm employment, discourage unsustainable practices in the fisheries sector and provide support to improve the use of surface water for irrigation and reduce

pressure on groundwater use.

Efforts will also be made to assist farmers increase their access to markets through development of new forms of fanners' associations or groups, work with small- and medium-sized agribusiness enterprises mainly in rural areas and link producers and buyers to facilitate better marketing of farm produce.

FAO will also work with the government to operationalise the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority to curb food adulteration.

"Food safety is very important in Bangladesh. Consumers are worried about the use of health hazardous elements like formalin in foods and presence of lead in turmeric," said Robson.

It will also work to improve agricultural extension to reduce the yield gaps between research stations and producers' fields. "We spend very little amount on research and development. But the yield we get in research does not reflect in the farmer's field. So, reducing gap is critical," said Economic Relations Division Secretary Mohammad Mejbahuddin.

Currently, FAO runs 29 projects in the