Before proceed please learn about Problem of Citizens and What should we do.
What is food security?
Food security does not mean only having food. It means availability of food, purchasing capacity of food and nutrition of food. As the food grain is the main food of the people of Bangladesh, especially rice, supply of rice and sustainability of price are the main things of gaining food security.
Nature of the lack of food security in Bangladesh
At present about half of the population of Bangladesh are prey
to food-based poverty. They do not have money to purchase sufficient food for
receiving the required amount of 2,122 kilo calorie per head. Besides shortage
of calorie, the food of this poor community is not balanced. In each meal of
the day a priority of food grains is seen. 80% of the calorie taken by them
every day comes from food grain, mainly rice. They take very little food
containing fat, oil and protein. Women and children are the main victims of
such unbalanced food. Women and children need nutritious food than the male.
Causes of Food Insecurity
The main causes of food insecurity are -
Production of less food: The production of
vegetables, fruits, pulse, oil seed, fish, meat, egg, milk etc. is low in the
country. On the other hand, the small income of the people and their dependence
on the food grains have a negative influence on this small production. As a
result, there is a lack of food security.
Small income of the people: The per head income
of our people is much less than that of the people of other countries. When the
per head income of the people decreases, people cannot purchase the required
amount of food. As a result, food insecurity is seen.
Lack of knowledge on nutrition : A
mentionable portion of the people have lack of knowledge on nutrition. And for
this reason they cannot select the proper food for their health. In recent time
the availability of food has increased remarkably in Bangladesh. Increase in
production and import of food in Bangladesh both play an important role in
availability of food. But the additional food could not ensure security to the people
who have been leading their life under poverty for a long time and who are suffering
from the lack of food security. Because, they do not have sufficient produced
crops and sufficient money and property for purchasing food. At the time of
calamity, the relief is distributed which ensures temporary food security to
this community. But it can not give them any long-term food security.
Govt. Effort for Gaining the Food Security
To gain food security, a proper food policy is required.
Ensuring the food security through poverty alleviation is the largest challenge
of food policy of Bangladesh. Storage of food by the govt. ensures the minimum
supply of food in emergency period. If shortage of food is seen owing to any
natural calamity such as flood and any other cause- the poor community suffers
most. And to face this crisis the govemnent takes the program of providing
social security. 95% of total expenditure of the social security program is
spent for food distribution which aims at providing relief and for giving facility
of education, health, income generating skill, infrastructure etc. By analyzing
the portion of total population who participate in food support program, it is
found that the three programs such as Vulnerable Group Development (VGD), Food
For Education and Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) are playing an important role
in improving the situation of the poor people.
Means of Gaining Food Security
To ensure food security, it is essential to increase food
production, food availability and purchasing capacity etc. Many countries of
the world such as- China, India, Singapore and various countries of Africa are
planning to increase the production of food by acquiring land, which can be
done in our country too. At the national level availability of food depends on
effectiveness and structure of bazar, seasonal variety in internal food
production, market efficiency and the government system of distribution of
food. And the food security of the people depends on production, availability
of food and it also depends on the easy receivability of that food in the
market. The farmers will try to increase the production more if they can
receive loan with simple terms and conditions.
Work: Going to market Karim Mia sees the high
price of rice and inadequate supply of it. Identify the causes of these
problems and find out the ways of solution. Only supply and consumption of food
cannot present a healthy and productive nation. For this the quality and
security of food should be ensured. On the other hand adulteration is a large
obstacle to security of food. It is also harmful for health.
By using the prevailing laws and amending them if necessary and by creating
social awareness, the government should very urgently control the adulteration
of food.
What we should do to gain food security
In Bangladesh until the year 2000, 44% of people used to lead
their life below the absolute poverty line. In 2005 it was reduced to 40%. This
hard core poor people cannot fulfill their minimum demand of food. As citizens,
we all have responsibility to gain food security. We should learn well about
food security and we can take good steps to ensure it. We can cultivate various
crops in empty lands around our homesteads in homeyard and reduce the demand of
crops. Being conscious of the food habit personally we can ensure our own food
security.