HPM Sheikh Hasina for forming an active coalition for 'Climate-Resilient Food Systems'

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon the international community to form an active coalition for "Climate-Resilient Food Systems" alongside strengthening partnerships for effective agri-food technologies in climate hotspots.

"We need to activate the Coalition for Climate-Resilient Food Systems that Bangladesh agreed to co-lead during the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021," she said as she laid out a five-point proposal at the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment Conference here.

The Bangladesh premier made the call at the plenary session on "Food Systems and Climate Action" at the FAO headquarters in the Italian capital.

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Tunisian President Kais Saied and Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and FAO Director-General Dr Qu Dongyu, among others, spoke at the session.

Sheikh Hasina said "transforming the food system" should be considered a priority for climate financing by developed countries, with due attention to climate-adaptive agri-food systems.

"The UN Food System Coordination Hub needs to scale up knowledge management by promoting inter-disciplinary collaboration in research and innovations," she said in her third proposal.

The premier suggested the private sector's active engagement in promoting climate-positive solutions to food and fertiliser needs in low and middle-income countries.

Her fifth proposal called for intensified international partnerships to use effective agri-food technologies in climate hotspots like deltas and coastal zones.

Sheikh Hasina said the modern agri-food supply chain emerged as one of the biggest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions and now "we should invest in making food production, processing, consumption and disposal climate-neutral".

"We need sufficient political will and international public opinion for the purpose," she added.

Highlighting that Bangladesh has recently joined the Global Methane Pledge, the premier said, "We hope to see the main sponsors of the initiative come up with the financial and technical assistance that they committed."

She said that her government is following the developments around the proposed International Bio-fuels Alliance by G20.

"We are encouraging the use of solar power for irrigation even by our smallholder farmers," she said, adding, "We need access to cost-effective technologies for precision agriculture, low-emission livestock and waste management."

The Prime Minister invited foreign investment for sustainable deep-sea fishing in Bangladesh's maritime areas in the Bay of Bengal.

Mentioning that the climate crisis requires work on a sustainable and transformed food system, she said, "We must identify what needs to be done without further delay. Food security is now related to climate justice."

Referring to the increased temperatures, prolonged droughts, massive floods and variable rainfalls in different parts of the world, Sheikh Hasina said, "In Bangladesh, our coastal lands are experiencing sea level rise and salinity intrusion with adverse effects on rice production."

She added that Bangladesh also sees a decline in arable land every year due to river erosion, urbanisation, industrial growth and other factors.

Immediately after the nation's independence in 1971, the premier said, Bangladesh's Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, called for a "Green Revolution".

In this regard, she said the time has come again for a climate-smart "Agri-Food Revolution". "We need to apply both nature-positive solutions and advanced technologies to transform the sector," she said.

"With our hard-earned gains in agriculture and food production, Bangladesh is uniquely placed to lead the global agenda on this," she said, adding, "I am touched that the COP 28 President-designate invited me last week to personally champion the issue."

Sheikh Hasina also highlighted Bangladesh's efforts where its agricultural scientists and extension officials are working together with farmers to develop climate-resilient agri-food solutions. "Our government has significantly increased the budget and capacity of our agricultural universities and research institutes."

She said a total of 690 improved and high-yielding crop varieties have been developed or introduced in the last 14 years during the regime of her government.

Among the stress-tolerant rice varieties, 14 are resistant to salinity, six to water submergence, 10 to drought, four to cold weather, and seven are of prime quality.

"Our scientists are working on rice varieties resistant to prolonged waterlogging and drought," she said, adding, "For improving nutrition, we have introduced eight zinc-rich rice varieties along with anti-oxidant, diabetic and pro-vitamin varieties."

She also mentioned that her government is providing incentives and support for promoting floating agriculture, rooftop agriculture, kitchen gardens, and hydroponic and aeroponic agriculture. The traditional floating vegetable production method from the Southern part of Bangladesh is now considered one of the best examples of locally-led climate adaptation.

Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh is maximizing the use of digital technologies to support its farmers.

To this end, she said that her government has set up around 500 Agricultural Information and Communication Centers across the country.

"Farmers can seek relevant information by calling a designated phone number. Dedicated websites and community radio are also available to provide agricultural information. Arrangements have been made for online fertilizer recommendations, irrigation services, pesticide prescriptions, crop-zoning advisory, rice knowledge bank and other services," she added.

Alongside government apps, she said, services provided by agro-tech start-ups are also gaining popularity at the grassroots.

The Prime Minister said around 642 new technologies have been developed and introduced by their experts in the last 14 years, and these have helped increase the efficiency of energy, water, fertilizer, seeds and pesticide use.

"We stand ready to share our expertise with climate-stressed settings in Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere," she added.