Ensuring food security in Bangladesh during COVID-19

Dr Wais Kabir shares his thoughts on how Bangladesh can ensure food security while coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. There has arisen the need for complying with some imperatives in view of the emerging invasion of corona virus at home and abroad. Bangladesh agriculture has so far exhibited a good deal of resilience amidst many crisis situations.

Boro harvesting

Currently, harvesting of Boro paddy has started under the unprecedented crisis situation. Shortage of labour during Boro harvest has become a common phenomenon over the past few years. We need to mobilize an increased supply of reapers or combined harvesters (the number in operation is very low, although there is no reliable data). Policy makers along with manufacturers, traders and service providers need to be aware of the situation during the prevailing invasion of corona virus country wide. The Ministry of Agriculture has made a timely decision of transporting labour from other districts to haor (wetland ecosystem, north eastern areas) to take part in harvesting. Management of such a huge task of transportation, by ensuring safety and health logistics to the farm labour will require special attention of local administration. Training of drivers and mechanics involved with operation of harvesters should get serious attention. Likewise, harvesting in places where no machines are available or shortages of labour prevails may be accelerated by a massive campaign nationwide. Social mobilisers like ministers, MPs, locally important persons and leaders may trigger the campaign to encourage local youth, high school students in harvesting, transporting and performing other activities.

Weather and flood forecasting, particularly in the upstream catchment will help with better planning of agricultural management including harvesting. As outlined in the Agriculture Extension policy to accelerate mechanisation, immediate steps should be taken to develop a strategy and plan of action in the short and longer term to utilise investment both by public and private sectors.

Group motivation

Farmers’ groups including Common Interest Groups (CIG), IPM schools, Water Management Groups (WMO for Coastal region) need to be mobilized not only for harvesting and transporting boro, but also for fruit and vegetables, since this is harvesting time for watermelon prior to Ramadan, and litchi and mango. It may be possible to help with mainstreaming biosafety and bio security measures at grassroots through groups like Farmers Field School (FMS) for post-harvest operations like handling, transportation to destination, milling, drying of grains and marketing.

Ramadan and food supply

During Ramadan, product marketing through importation mainly from India will remain a concern. I believe many traders have already made a stock of Iftar items through import. This is a huge investment ahead of the Eid occasion like every year, when demand for some special items increases. Interventions will be needed for storage and marketing of those perishable products during Ramadan. Safety measures in Ramadan will be a great concern, and it needs to be dispersed, instead of operating in a common narrow space.

Food demand

Under the prevailing situation today and considering the near future, I do not anticipate a significant decline of food demand in the country. The low-income groups in the cities will likely have to lower their consumption. The farming community in Bangladesh have exhibited their resilience in maintaining supply chain under crisis situations before. We may recall the stalemate of life due to past political turmoil for months during 2015. However, supply of agri-commodities was less affected. Recent interventions of the government and tightening of the biosafety measures may bring a favourable impact in the overall production environment.

Business as usual, accompanied by recent development trends in value chain management (contract farming, improved market management, organising growers of high value produce, capacity building of growers in Good Agriculture Practice, branding, transaction, processing and value addition) may continue to generate profit to farming activities, though this is expected to be less.

With a business unusual case, with enhanced threat of the corona virus situation and aggressive effects in the production process, even with resilient farming systems, supply lines may be affected, particularly output markets. However, better hazard management from different actors – including a better understanding of how to manage the virus along with knowledge and logistics – may help in preventing the sudden price fall at the producer level. Very recent news of major market hub says so, though thus is considered transitional.

We may not consider non-essential commodities like flowers for the next couple of months due to lessening of consumer demands, though losses for growers will be significant and some form of assistance may be considered. In this context. It may be pertinent to mention here that measures will have to be taken to ensure that the 5000 crore taka assistance package announced by the Honourable Prime Minister for agriculture reach the deserving persons in a timely manner.

Livestock agriculture

For livestock production including poultry, input shops are to be open with sufficient materials available for livestock, as live animals cannot survive without feed and health care whenever necessary. Bangladesh along with other south Asian countries, is known to be weak in managing biosafety rules in a situation when closeness of people and traders of seeds and animal products are increasing. Alongside this, transboundary pest and diseases are emerging at an alarming rate which must be taken care with strict compliance of biosafety protocols.

It has been observed that dairy and poultry are largely impacted by the Corona pandemic. Stoppage of social events caused significant decrease of demand. Negative attitude of poultry products must be diffused through fact-based media campaign. Dairy milk, being a highly perishable product, may be brought under public distribution nearby farms by involving local NGOs in collaboration with government programs for feeding vulnerable groups. Sweetmeat may not get any marketable opportunity (although availability of data on the dairy industry is scarce). Processing of milk for ghee and other milk-based products will require skill and facilities and may need some interventions through local operators including NGO mobilization.

Seed supply

Maize, sunflower and vegetable seeds are imported, mostly from India. We may need to explore alternative sources of import if the situation does not improve in India. It is expected that local seed growers in India will tend to maintain business with Bangladesh with a business as usual case. The seeds are certified from origin, however transportation and handling at bulk or retail level will need extra care of biosecurity like sensitizing, and ensuring hygiene and personal protection.

The major portion of Open Pollinated (OP) seeds are maintained by farmers. It is basically BADC which multiplies these breeder seeds from BARI, BRRI or BINA to foundation and certified seeds for farm level distribution. So, action should be included as certified seeds of different origin (i.e. all research institutes producing breeder seeds of different crop varieties) are to be procured from BADC and/or the private sector.

Transportation

The drivers of either motorized vans on highways or non-motorised small vans on rural roads are to be trained in appropriate hygiene and use appropriate protection while handling agro-commodities, particularly animal products. I do not think Bangladesh has yet developed a certification system while transporting agro commodities. Road disciplines will be necessary to avoid delay in easy pass and involvement of unwanted other costs. The supply line must be kept uninterrupted by putting in maximum effort. Policy makers may think of recognising local level agricultural officials for certification up to the satisfaction of food safety authority and law enforcing agencies for easy passage of commodities to the market destinations. Truck drivers and transport workers may be supported with health services and logistics while transporting agro-commodities. Caution will be required so that the certification is properly utilized with proper accountability.

Research and development

With the directive of the Honourable Prime Minister to intensify land use in the country, research-led matured and proven technologies need to be identified based on geographical need. This may encompass fisheries, livestock and crop related technologies ready to be adopted by farmers. Farming system based research and development at the homestead may be intensified utilizing limited resources. Homestead vegetables, poultry, small ruminant and household level storage and processing may be encouraged with strong participation by women. An immediate list of such practices may be made and provided to the local Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers for improved practices.

For more information, please contact Dr Wais Kabir ([email protected]).