Food security is economic security
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Firoz Ahmed
THE government said that it was contemplating to double its food stocks. It is relevant in the quest for food security. The experience of the recent past underlines the need for food security. Barely a year and a half ago, Bangladesh's cereal production fell sharply requiring imports when the food grain prices had shot up to a record high. Even the import at exorbitant prices became uncertain due to a global shortage, both real and artificial. The traditional exporting countries refused to keep commitments and there was the instance of deliberate holding up of shipment demanding further increase in the price.
The food grain import experience of 2007 should act as a rude reminder of what the government in a friendly country can do to exploit a crisis. A large food reserve is a must. The lesson of 2007 is food security is economic security.
The government seems to be keen to double its food grain storage capacity. The recent good harvest of boro rice would very much justify it. This will require augmenting the storage capacity to three million tonnes. A part of the existing capacity of 1.5 million tonnes is unusable for poor maintenance of the warehouses and silos. So, new storage capacity has to be built and the existing godowns would need repairs.
An important objective should be to cut down wastage of stocks stored. Storage godowns scattered across the country would facilitate procurement from surplus food grains from all over Bangladesh. Already, this year's good grain procurement programme -- an on-going one -- has been facing severe problems for reasons of lack of storage capacity. The farmers, particularly in the northern zone of the country, are finding it difficult to sell their marketable surplus of food grain output at a cost-plus price because of this. This is likely to have a severe adverse impact on the incentives for the farmers to produce more in the next season.
Adequate and quality decentralised storage facilities are furthermore needed to facilitate distribution to the needy in times of need. It would reduce the transportation costs and time for procurement as well as distribution. Highest attention should be paid to ensure that the grains are stocked at high and dry places for protection against floods. Regular and efficient monitoring of the stocks will also cut the costs.
Stocks at the desirable level will require encouraging productivity. Higher returns would motivate farmers to go for greater production. The same calls for distribution of inputs to farmers at fair prices and reaching them the subsidies would also keep them motivated for higher production. Incentive prices and corruption-free and prompt procurement would encourage productivity.
For higher productivity, higher yielding seed varieties would play a role. The farmers need to be educated that they would get higher output from less land and fertilisers if they use higher yielding seeds. Proper use of fertiliser, they need to be told, would preserve the soil's natural nutrients. New seed varieties developed to withstand floods and droughts, should be made available to farmers. Acquainted with the seeds and their utility, the farmers would start using them throughout the country.
THE government said that it was contemplating to double its food stocks. It is relevant in the quest for food security. The experience of the recent past underlines the need for food security. Barely a year and a half ago, Bangladesh's cereal production fell sharply requiring imports when the food grain prices had shot up to a record high. Even the import at exorbitant prices became uncertain due to a global shortage, both real and artificial. The traditional exporting countries refused to keep commitments and there was the instance of deliberate holding up of shipment demanding further increase in the price.
The food grain import experience of 2007 should act as a rude reminder of what the government in a friendly country can do to exploit a crisis. A large food reserve is a must. The lesson of 2007 is food security is economic security.
The government seems to be keen to double its food grain storage capacity. The recent good harvest of boro rice would very much justify it. This will require augmenting the storage capacity to three million tonnes. A part of the existing capacity of 1.5 million tonnes is unusable for poor maintenance of the warehouses and silos. So, new storage capacity has to be built and the existing godowns would need repairs.
An important objective should be to cut down wastage of stocks stored. Storage godowns scattered across the country would facilitate procurement from surplus food grains from all over Bangladesh. Already, this year's good grain procurement programme -- an on-going one -- has been facing severe problems for reasons of lack of storage capacity. The farmers, particularly in the northern zone of the country, are finding it difficult to sell their marketable surplus of food grain output at a cost-plus price because of this. This is likely to have a severe adverse impact on the incentives for the farmers to produce more in the next season.
Adequate and quality decentralised storage facilities are furthermore needed to facilitate distribution to the needy in times of need. It would reduce the transportation costs and time for procurement as well as distribution. Highest attention should be paid to ensure that the grains are stocked at high and dry places for protection against floods. Regular and efficient monitoring of the stocks will also cut the costs.
Stocks at the desirable level will require encouraging productivity. Higher returns would motivate farmers to go for greater production. The same calls for distribution of inputs to farmers at fair prices and reaching them the subsidies would also keep them motivated for higher production. Incentive prices and corruption-free and prompt procurement would encourage productivity.
For higher productivity, higher yielding seed varieties would play a role. The farmers need to be educated that they would get higher output from less land and fertilisers if they use higher yielding seeds. Proper use of fertiliser, they need to be told, would preserve the soil's natural nutrients. New seed varieties developed to withstand floods and droughts, should be made available to farmers. Acquainted with the seeds and their utility, the farmers would start using them throughout the country.