Govt urged to back food security issues thru\\\' agri price support

Twelve rights-based organisations at a press briefing at Jatiya Press Club Sunday urged the government to strongly support food security issues through price support to agriculture, holding food stocks and subsidised prices instead of becoming party to WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBd said G-33 nations, led by India, have opposed the TFA at Bali WTO ministerial as it called for opening of agriculture and food grains market of the poor and developing nations without domestic protection.

The TFA stipulates that by removing local protection to agriculture and subsidised food prices, LDCs and developing nations must integrate them to global food grains market. In exchange, developed nations would give duty-free and quota-free market access to their exports.

He said Bangladesh did not oppose the TFA at Bali with the hope that it would benefit from duty-free market access of its exports. But the global reality is that the country has hardly any chance to benefit from 'false western promises' while its agriculture and food security will suffer the worst.

Chowdhury said since India has the biggest number of the poor, it is leading the fight against withdrawal of protection to agriculture and subsidised food prices. Bangladesh should also lend all support to this fight since the majority of its population is also poor.  

He said food and agriculture should be out of profit-led multinational trade. Representatives of Unnayan Dhara Trust, Krishani Shova, Coastal Development Partnership, Jatyio Sromik Jote, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Bangladesh Krishi Farm Sromik Federation, Bangladesh Vumihin Samity, Somaj, Surokkha O Agragoti Foundation and Humanity Watch were present.

Speakers at the press briefing said developed nations only make empty promises. The USA as the major market and such other nations except the EU are not offering the duty-free benefits. But they use the WTO to serve their own interest.