Crop diversification may help end malnutrition: IFPRI

Bangladesh needs to go for crop diversification to improve nutritional status and reduce extreme poverty, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said yesterday, reports BSS. Although improvements have been made in poverty reduction, gender equality in primary and secondary school enrolment and child and maternal ratio reduction, Bangladesh must scale up its efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition, officials of the IFPRI told a press conference at a city hotel. Although the country’s progress in reducing child stunting is remarkable, 36 percent under-five children are still suffering from stunting, IFPRI Director General Shengen Fan said. “Stunting of children is a global phenomenon...
Children in many developed countries are suffering from stunting,” he said adding it is not possible to bring the stunting rate to zero level. “Nevertheless, as Bangladesh has successfully halved hunger from 1990 to 2014, I am optimistic that the country can end undernutrition by 2025,” he said. He said Bangladesh should lay emphasis on high value crops to increase income of growers that will help end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI Representative in Bangladesh Dr Akhter Ahmed said many farmers in Mymensingh area of the country are switching to fish production from rice production for enhancing their earnings. He described the trend of shifting to high value crops as positive for agriculture sector and the country should focus on enhancing productivity of crops to attain the target of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2025.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has developed two varieties of zinc-enriched rice, Dr Akhter said. Such impressive invention will significantly help cut malnutrition as a huge number of children in the country are suffering from zinc deficiency of children. Other officials of IFPRI said compact2025 is an inclusive global effort to support countries, institutions, initiatives for the elimination of hunger and undernutriation by 2025. Through Compact2025, IFPRI looks forward to working with Bangladesh to end hunger and malnutrition, they added.

 

Crop diversification may help end malnutrition: IFPRI

Bangladesh needs to go for crop diversification to improve nutritional status and reduce extreme poverty, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) said yesterday, reports BSS. Although improvements have been made in poverty reduction, gender equality in primary and secondary school enrolment and child and maternal ratio reduction, Bangladesh must scale up its efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition, officials of the IFPRI told a press conference at a city hotel. Although the countrys progress in reducing child stunting is remarkable, 36 percent under-five children are still suffering from stunting, IFPRI Director General Shengen Fan said. Stunting of children is a global phenomenon... Children in many developed countries are suffering from stunting, he said adding it is not possible to bring the stunting rate to zero level. Nevertheless, as Bangladesh has successfully halved hunger from 1990 to 2014, I am optimistic that the country can end undernutrition by 2025, he said. He said Bangladesh should lay emphasis on high value crops to increase income of growers that will help end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI Representative in Bangladesh Dr Akhter Ahmed said many farmers in Mymensingh area of the country are switching to fish production from rice production for enhancing their earnings. He described the trend of shifting to high value crops as positive for agriculture sector and the country should focus on enhancing productivity of crops to attain the target of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2025. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has developed two varieties of zinc-enriched rice, Dr Akhter said. Such impressive invention will significantly help cut malnutrition as a huge number of children in the country are suffering from zinc deficiency of children. Other officials of IFPRI said compact2025 is an inclusive global effort to support countries, institutions, initiatives for the elimination of hunger and undernutriation by 2025. Through Compact2025, IFPRI looks forward to working with Bangladesh to end hunger and malnutrition, they added.