Private sector urged to invest in R&D for ensuring food safety

To ensure food safety and its nutritional value, speakers at a conference on Sunday urged the private sector to invest in research and development (R&D) besides the public sector.
The big companies in the food business are making a huge amount of money, but not putting it into the R&D, they said, expressing their frustration at the IFC 10th International Food Safety Forum at a city hotel.
The speakers also stressed on the importance of comprehensive rules and regulations throughout the entire value chain - from collecting inputs to processing and supplying the food products.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) jointly organised the forum, held under the theme "Keeping Food Safe and Nutritious, Preventing Losses."
The conference aimed at showcasing solutions that ensure safer and more nutritious food for domestic consumers while addressing the issues of food losses.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder inaugurated the conference, presided over by BFSA Chairman Abdul Kayowm Sarker. IFC Country Manager (Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal) Martin Holtmann gave the opening address.
"We need to ensure safe food from input supply to production-processing and supply," Mr Majumder told the meeting, adding that the government has been adopting various policies to ensure safe food for all.
He also stressed the need for creating public awareness in this regard and emphasised on the need for investment in appropriate research and development.
Abdul Kayowm Sarker said that it is essential to implement comprehensive rules and regulations throughout the entire food value chain.
Four sessions on food safety strategy, empowering private sector leadership, prevention of food loss and waste, and gender-smart solution for food safety were held at the forum, involving stakeholders from among the public, private and international development partners.
Additional Secretary of Agriculture Rabindra Sri Barua said: "We're facing challenges to produce food for the large population on a limited acreage amid the changing climatic condition."
Despite such odds, he said the country has so far been able to maintain a sound production growth and is now focusing on the challenges to improve the food quality.
Mr Holtmann said that the wastage of food is very high across the value chain - from harvesting, storage and logistics to retailing.
Helping the farmers and businesses move to modern practices and improve connection to markets will make them more productive, enhance income opportunities, and improve resource efficiency, he added.
"The IFC will support these important changes by working with key stakeholders and will continue to facilitate private investments in the sector, support the companies in their aspirations to expand production, build better supply chains, access new markets, and prevent food losses," he said.
Dr Mirza Mofazzal Islam, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), said that the country's big companies are earning billions, but are reluctant to invest in R&D to improve food quality and ensure food safety.
They are solely dependent on the government for such initiatives, he said.
He said it is also necessary for them to collaborate with various universities and institutes to make significant investments in R&D following the other developing and developed countries.
National Project Coordinator of UNIDO Dr Zakir Uz Zaman said Bangladesh is exporting products of better quality, but it is necessary to ensure that the same quality products are available in the domestic market.
Wagner Albuquerque de Almeida, IFC Director of Global Manufacturing‚ Agribusiness and Services (MAS), said there is no question that food safety is critical for health and economic development.
"When we talk about food safety and preventing food losses, we are talking about our future and the future of our children," he added.

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