GAIBANDHA, June 3, 2021(BSS) – Speakers at a function here today unequivocally said vitamin enriched rice could remove the malnutrition problem of the people in the country.
“Bangladesh has made remarkable success in food production since independence. Despite population growth over time Bangladesh has already achieved food security”.
They made the comments while addressing a bi-monthly meeting of district nutrition coordination committee held at the conference room of the deputy commissioner (DC) here on Thursday noon.
District nutrition coordination committee (DNCC) administration arranged the meeting in cooperation with the Sustain Opportunity Nutrition Governance (SONGO) project being implemented by RDRS Bangladesh and Netherlands based international development organization ICCO with the financial support of European Union.
DC who is also the chairperson of the committee ex-officio presided over the meeting. Member secretary of the committee civil surgeon (CS) Dr. AM Akhteruzzaman made a welcome speech.
The meeting was also addressed among others by chairman of Zila Parishad Ataur Rahman Sarkar Aata, Sadar UNO Md. Rafiul Alam, district livestock officer Dr. Md. Masudur Rahman, district fisheries officer Abdud Dayan Dulu, district training officer (DTO) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Sahera Banu, district information officer Muhammad Mahfuzar Rahman, operation lead, SONGO project, ICCO Cooperation Mostafa Nurul Islam Reza, district coordinator of Nutrition International, Gaibandha Raihana Islam, regional coordinator of Friendship Abdus Salam, senior journalists Sarker Mohammad Shahiduzzaman and Abedur Rahman Swapon while adviser nutrition governance of SONGO project Md. Towfiqul Islam was the moderator.
Earlier, a powerpoint presentation on the nutrition status in Gaibandha district was also screened at the function.
The speakers said most of the people of the country eat three times rice in a day for survival. Taking this in view, it should be wise to produce vitamin enriched rice all over the country.
As the peoples’ access to food has also improved, an emphasis should be given on ensuring the consumption of nutritious and quality food, they added.
DTO of the DAE Sahera Banu said the DAE has been popularizing the farming of vitamin enriched rice- BRRI Dhan-62, 84, 48 in farmers’ level of the district to get nutrition from the rice.
By this time, zinc enriched rice is being produced at farmers’ level of the district to meet the demand of nutrition, she added.
Besides this, vitamin enriched orange fleshed sweet potato is also being cultivated in the district to fulfill the demand of the nutrition.
After elaborate discussion many recommendations were also adopted in the meeting side by side with taking action plans to make the activity of the DNCC committee more effective and successful.
DC Abdul Matin urged all to conduct awareness activity among the common people specially the char ones about nutrition.
In this context, DC Abdul Matin underscored the need for improving the nutrition status of all citizens including children, adolescents, pregnant mothers and lactating mothers.
To end this multi sectoral approach is very essential, he concluded.