SAARC Food Bank in focus

The SAARC Food Bank should be activated as a regional approach to deal with the crisis relating to food security in South Asia (SA).
Apart from the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), another regional entity, named BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economical Cooperation), could also take initiatives by introducing a virtual bank involving its partner nations.
The observations came at the concluding session of a regional event, titled 'IFPRI Global Food Policy Report 2023 South Asia Launch: Rethinking Food Crisis Responses', held at a hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The final session of the two-day-long panel discussion ended on Tuesday, chaired by Dr Pramad K Joshi, president of Agricultural Economics Research Association, India.
While summarising the outcomes of the two-day-long discussion, Mr Joshi said the globe as well as South Asia are now going through triple crises - climate change, war in Europe and the pandemic-induced consequences.
Countries in South Asia are going through a higher inflation while few countries, like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, are even witnessing stagflation, he said.
A severe crisis is looming large over the globe as well as in South Asia, warned Mr Joshi, suggesting that the global food bank and the regional food bank be introduced to prevent the disaster.
Though SAARC Food Bank was established as a response to food-related crises, the entity is not working, he said. "…the reason behind the inactivity of SAARC Food Bank is related to political or economical issues but we have to sort it out for the betterment of the South Asian people."
Mr Joshi said BIMSTEC should open a virtual bank involving all the member states.
He also underscored the need for forming a global food security forum and a global food crisis fund.
Asked, Dr Johan Swinnen, director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), said safe food or quality of food should also be ensured through modern value chain management.
Dr Shahidur Rashid, head of IFPRI for South Asia, pointed out that BIMSTEC could work more precisely compared to SAARC taking in account the geopolitical perspective.
Earlier, in a session, titled 'Gender: Promoting Equality in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Setting', Dr Manohara Khadka, country representative of the International Water Management Institute (IWMU), Nepal, presented a paper on effective water management.
She said 80 per cent of Nepal's groundwater is yet to be utilised, offering immense potential for the country's agriculture.
She said proper water management could make Nepal a country of surplus food.
Dr Dushni Weerakoon, executive director of the Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka, chaired the session on gender equality.
Speaking at the session, Dr Hina Nazli, a researcher from Pakistan, said higher population growth hinders the education of women in Pakistan.
She said lesser productivity, debt crisis, higher inflation of above 38 per cent, political turmoil, corruption as well as weak enforcement of law have caused decay in institutions of the country.
Citing a recent study, she said Pakistan now ranks 31 out of 179 countries in the fragile state index.
On the other hand, Dr Ranjhita Puskur, research leader, gender and livelihoods, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said weather disasters, Covid as well as war bring chronic stress for women agri labourers.
Seventy-six per cent of women are unpaid workers in India, she said, adding that women involved in the agrifood system earn less compared to their male counterparts.
Another session on safety-net for crisis management was also held, chaired by Dr Swarnim Wagle, member, Federal Parliament of Nepal.
At the concluding session, speakers also sought the necessity for an information platform in the South Asian region.
They also underscored the need for strengthening the existing value chain through ensuring infrastructural development.
Dr Mamata Pradhan, research coordinator, IFPRI, delivered the vote of thanks while Jamal Uddin Ahmed, director, SAARC (agriculture, rural development and SAARC development fund), Jason Seuc, director, economic growth office, USAID, Nepal, also spoke, among others.

[email protected]