Call to improve livelihood of marginalised farmers
Thursday, 11 December 2014
RANGPUR, Dec 10 (BSS): Enhanced participation of the organisations of small and marginal farmers in food security governance and policy-making could improve livelihoods and ensure food security of the extremely poor, speakers said today.
They were addressing today the concluding ceremony of a 3-day training course organised by RDRS Bangladesh at Panchagarh Training Centre on "Improving Food Security Governance in South & Southeast Asia through Strengthened Participation of Organisations of Marginalised Farmers Regional Project".
The five-year term regional project is being implemented in Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Myanmar to improve livelihood of 1.02 million marginalised households, including ethnic communities, with assistance of European Union and Dan Church Aid.
Thirty male and female farmers, including 15 members of the farmers' group of Hafizabad Union Federation and 15 members of the farmers' group of Haribhasha Union Federation in Panchagarh district participated in the course.
District Food Controller of Panchagarh Abdul Kader, Deputy Director of Social Service Department Shahidul Haque, Deputy Director (In-charge) of Department of Agriculture Sahir Uddin and District Women Affairs Officer Rukhsana Mamtaz took part as resource persons.
Programme Manager (Filed Coordination) of RDRS Bangladesh Hasina Parveen, its Agriculture Officers of Food Security Governance Project for Panchagarh Masud Parvez and Mahfuzur Rahman for Thakurgaon provided training to the participants.
The resource persons narrated good governance for food security, human rights and rights to information for good governance, advocacy for attaining these rights, types and strategies of community advocacy, local service providing institutions and their services.
They discussed the national food policy-2006, meaning of food security, rights of small and marginal farmers to food security and role of the federations in establishing rights to food and good governance, work plans for advocacy, nutrition and related issues.