World Environment Day 2015
Mike Robson
Which is why this year, the slogan of World Environment Day today June 5th - Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care marks a pleasant change, emphasising as it does the dreams of the seven billion, rather than their fears. And the dream is of sustainable consumption and production. Consumption without causing irreversible damage to the planet we call home.
How does this apply to us here in Bangladesh? Food is one of the most basic forms of consumption. So perhaps we can start by considering the relationship between the environment and the consumption of food, between the environment and our food security.
If it comes down to a choice between the environment and guaranteeing food availability, the government must be tempted to prioritise food. Remember that despite enormous progress in Bangladesh over the past 25 years, there are still around 26 million people in the country who are food insecure. They dont always have enough nutritious food to eat. Food security comes when people can produce food, buy food or use it effectively. So government looks to strategies trying to go for development, new industries, investment, infrastructure. To put money into the pockets of the hungry, and food onto their plates. This emphasis may result in not enough priority being given to the environment; in its most extreme case, a view that the environment is a first world worry, less important than feeding the population.
But the environment does not only matter to the first world. Bangladesh has seen food production intensify dramatically over the past four decades, through irrigation, use of fertiliser, high yielding varieties and mechanisation. The majority of farmers across the country are able to grow two or even three crops a year. Yield increases have slowed in recent years, but the vigour and ingenuity of farmers continues to bring innovation, supported by agricultural research from home and abroad. Aquaculture and livestock keeping have also seen significant growth.
But all of this is built on (1) the basic natural resources on which agriculture depends to produce food, such as biodiversity, soil, and water; and (2) the ecosystem services we get from the environment in particular in terms of the so-called supporting services (such as pollination, soil formation, nutrient cycling or water cycling).
In terms of the sustainability of the overall food system, things are delicately balanced. In Bangladesh already the most densely populated country on earth the population continues to increase, and there is a growing need for nutrient- rich foods of animal origin which carry a greater environmental footprint. Arable land is lost to other uses, while soils are becoming more acidic; the organic matter content (a good indicator of soil health) is reduced; key soil micronutrients are depleted. Ground water levels in some cases are falling; in other areas there are problems of waterlogging and chemical pollution. Lack of clean water hampers the development of the fisheries and dairy sectors. Climate change brings further uncertainty. Overall, failing to take account of the environment can threaten food security.
The glass appears half empty? But there are also plenty of positive points to stress. Deforestation can be reduced or addressed with programmes on reafforestation; loss of biodiversity can be reduced by conscious efforts to protect and nurture it. There are a range of technologies that make better use of resources, and can reverse some of the damage done. Soil health can be restored, for instance, through crop rotation, use of green manure or compost, reduced tillage or the incorporation of crop residues into the soil. Ground water levels recharge over time in many parts of the country; more efficient irrigation technologies can be used and/or less water-loving crops may be grown.
New stress-tolerant varieties are in the pipeline for conditions of salinity or drought, while the country is at the leading edge of exploiting new agricultural biotechnologies. Rising rural wage rates can drive a big push for greater mechanisation; if prices are low, this can encourage diversification, or value addition through processing. And consumption in Bangladesh results in very little waste of food (although there are post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables).
As the country moves forward towards its cherished goal of middle income country status, agriculture will comprise a diminishing share of GDP, but employment in agriculture is likely to remain the dominant source of employment for some years to come. And so the balance between environmental sustainability and production of food will remain a key development challenge for Bangladesh.
Investment by the government in programmes on the environment, on forestry, on climate change to support the key ecosystem services - remains a high priority. FAO in Bangladesh has been working over the last year with the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry to develop an overall framework for investment and a country investment plan for the environment, forestry and climate change sectors, with the support of USAID. The aim is to improve the coherence of investments made by government and development partners to address key environmental issues, and to strengthen the capacity of the key departments to monitor programmes and outcomes in environmental terms.
The writer is FAO Representative in Bangladesh
