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SAARC leaders urged for food security
KATHMANDU, APR 26 -
The third South Asia Policy Forum on Monday urged SAARC leaders to take urgent action to ensure food security as the SAARC Food Bank which had been placed as a top agenda at the 15th SAARC Summit has not come into operation.
During the 15th SAARC Summit held in Colombo, South Asian leaders had pledged action to deal with reduced food availability and worldwide rise in food prices.
The Colombo Declaration had resolved to ensure region-wide food security and make South Asia the granary of the world once again. Operationalisation of the SAARC Food Bank has remained in limbo raising the risk of severe food insecurity, experts from South Asia said.
Speakers warned during the second day of the discussion that due to a shortage of staples, 17 percent and 35 percent of the total population of South Asia might face the worst forms of food insecurity by 2050 and 2100 respectively.
Bangladesh suffered badly because of the non-operationalised SAARC Food Bank. "SAARC leaders at their 16th summit in Bhutan should act to put the food bank into operation with immediate effect so that South Asians do not suffer food insecurity in times of disasters and conflict," they pointed out.
A research report prepared by Unnayan Onneshan on behalf of Imagine a New South Asia Alliance (INSA) said that more than 199 million people might face a shortage of rice in Bangladesh, which is more than 34 percent of the projected population in 2100. This will be more than 740 million (19.58 percent) for India, 549 million (43.71 percent) for Pakistan and 73 million (53.50 percent) for Nepal, he added.
"In 2050, more than 29 million people in Bangladesh and 15 million in Nepal will face a rice shortage, which is equivalent to respectively 10 percent and 25 percent of the expected populations in 2050," said Prof. Rashed Al-Mahmud Titumir of Dhaka University.
Aftab Alam Khan, head of the ActionAid International Food and Agriculture Programme, called upon SAARC leaders to commit at least 10 percent of their national income for agriculture with 80 percent.
Posted on: 2010-04-27 07:24
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