Japan will provide necessary technical and credit support to improve food value chain of Bangladesh through expanding processing and marketing of agricultural products.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under a Tk 8.82-billion project under industries ministry will provide technical support and loan with soft interest.
The organisations and entrepreneurs engaged in agro business, including food processing and safety sector, will get the facility.
With this, Bangladesh will be able to improve its supply chain of food ensuring safety and quality, and meeting sustainable development goals 01, 02 and 08.
A virtual meeting on the project was hosted between industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and JICA Dhaka chief representative Yuho Hayakawa on Sunday.
Mr Hayakawa highlighted the need for improving food value chain and ensuring food quality in every steps.
He said the project will help create employment and diversify export basket through developing agro-based industry even during this pandemic situation.
Mr Hayakawa said demand for quality and safe foods has increased globally, including in Bangladesh.
With the increase of purchasing capacity of rural and urban population, he said demand for and supply of safe foods is also increasing in the country.
Minister Mr Humayun pledged to provide all-out support to implement the food value chain improvement project.
This project will play a pivotal role in improving the country's food industry through technology transfer and
establishing world-standard food industry, he hoped.
With this, Mr Humayun said, scope to export halal and quality foods meeting the domestic demand.
Additional secretary Begum Porag, senior assistant secretary Mohammad Solem Ullah, JICA senior representative Koji Mitomori, programme adviser Ryuichi Katsuki, programme officer Mohammad Mehdi Hasan and chief executive officer of Bangladesh Infrastructural Finance Fund Ltd SM Anisuzzaman attended the virtual meeting.
