Launching of Monitoring Report 2012

The National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 was publicly launched in a ceremony held on 13 August 2012 in the conference room of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MoFDM). Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP, Minister MoFDM, Chief Guest, reiterated the Government’s commitment towards achieving food and nutritional security, highlighting that monitored policies lead more effective policies. Mr. Dominique Burgeon, FAO Representative in Bangladesh participated as Special Guest, and Mr. Richard Greene, Mission Director of USAID Bangladesh and Mr. Andrew Barnard, Charge d'Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh were Guests of Honour. Ms Mushfeka Ikfat, Secretary in Charge, Food Division, Ministry of Food and Disaster Management chaired the Ceremony.
 
Mr. Naser Farid, Director General of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU), pointed out that the Monitoring Report 2012 is the result of the collaboration among 17 ministries and divisions, coordinated by the FPMU of the MoFDM with technical support from FAO under the National Food Policy Capacity Strengthening Program (NFPCSP) and financial support from EU and USAID. An overview of the report, which monitors progress towards results identified in the National Food Policy, its Plan of Action and the Country Investment Plan, was presented by Mr. Ciro Fiorillo, Chief Technical Advisor, FAO-NFPCSP. The ensuing discussion was opened by Professor Abdus Sattar Mandal, Member Planning Commission and Mr Aslam Alam, Secretary Disaster Management and Relief Division, and followed by remarks from representatives of civil society and government institutions, including Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, BRAC, Centre for Policy Dialogue, International Food Policy Research Institute and National Nutrition Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
 
The Monitoring Report 2012 indicates that Bangladesh is becoming a more food secure, better nourished and healthier country, although challenges remain for many people in terms of their access to food in adequate quantity, quality, diversity and regularity. It also highlights that the Country Investment Plan (CIP) achieved substantial results in scaling up interventions. The CIP budget is now US$ 9.1 billion, with funding increased to 57% of the total budget (with additional US$ 2.17 billion from Government and DPs) from a baseline of 37% at the time of CIP approval (2011). Of the total financed, the government contribution is US$ 3.3 billion (63%) and the remaining US$ 1.9 billion (37%) is the contribution of Development Partners.
 
The Minister stressed that the recommendations from the Monitoring Report should “provide a basis for upcoming activities of the Government, Development Partners and Civil Society in achieving the food and nutrition security objectives in Bangladesh".