Govt seeks WFP support to assess nutritional value of fortified rice

Food Minister Afroza Khanum on Monday said ensuring food security and increasing access to nutritious food are top government priorities, seeking technical and financial support from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to assess the effectiveness of fortified rice, maintain government food stocks and improve storage management.
She made the request during a meeting with a WFP delegation led by its Country Director for Bangladesh, Coco Ushiyama, at her office in the Secretariat.
The minister said maintaining the quality of rice stored in government warehouses for extended periods remained a major challenge. She sought WFP’s technical assistance in developing comprehensive policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for long-term grain storage and inventory management.
She said the government was distributing fortified rice through social safety net initiatives, including the Food-Friendly Programme, which currently operates in around 300 upazilas. However, scientific research was needed to assess the programme’s effectiveness in addressing nutritional deficiencies.
An impact assessment study has been initiated, with an estimated cost of US$400,000-450,000. The minister sought WFP’s financial and technical assistance, saying reliable evidence would help expand the programme and guide policy decisions.
She added that the government was considering policies and legislation to expand the fortification of rice and other food products with essential nutrients.
The minister also stressed the need to strengthen strategic food grain reserves to make them more resilient to natural disasters, including floods, droughts, heatwaves and earthquakes. Better coordination between food reserves and social safety net programmes was also needed to address economic shocks caused by rising international fuel and fertiliser prices.
Ushiyama reaffirmed WFP’s commitment to supporting food security and nutrition in Bangladesh. She said the organisation’s five-year plan would prioritise strategic food reserve management, social safety nets, improved nutritional value of food grains and school feeding programmes.
She said WFP could provide potential financial and technical assistance for independent research into fortified rice and help involve other development partners. She suggested preparing a detailed concept note and offered to share experiences from countries including Pakistan.
The meeting also discussed expanding school feeding programmes using food produced by local farmers, emphasising coordination among the ministries responsible for food, agriculture, education and social protection.
Both sides discussed a five-year cooperation plan and a new partnership framework beginning in 2028.
Food Secretary Abu Taher Mohammad Masud Rana, Director General of Food Md Jasim Uddin Khan, WFP Bangladesh Senior Partnership Adviser Md Mohsin Chowdhury, Head of Programme Jessie Wood and other officials attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro paid a courtesy call on the food minister at the Secretariat on Monday afternoon. They discussed bilateral relations, food security and cooperation in food grain storage.
The Food Secretary, Director General of Food, Chairman of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority and other officials were also present.