Dhaka Asks IFAD Support to Boost Wheat and Edible Oil Production

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested assistance from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in order to reduce Bangladesh's dependency on imports of wheat and edible oil.

The assistance was sought, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, when she met IFAD President Alvaro Lario on Monday at the FAO headquarters.

In addition, Hasina asked the IFAD for help with Bangladesh's food storage system and with helping Bangladesh's small agro-enterprises market their goods.

Additionally on Monday, the prime minister requested that the World Food Program (WFP) increase money for Bangladesh, particularly for the Rohingya refugees who have taken refuge in Bangladesh, since the per capita funding for the Rohingya has dropped from US$12 to US$8.

When Cindy Hensley McCain, the executive director of the WFP, met her at the FAO headquarters on Monday, she made the call.

Hasina said that Bangladesh's increased food production was due to her government's efforts in this area.

She claimed that Bangladesh is well-positioned to produce crops, seafood, and other things.

Cindy Hensley McCain is the wife of former US presidential candidate John McCain who adopted a three-month Bangladeshi girl in the early 1990s. 

Meanwhile, the prime minister along with other heads of government and states attended a reception hosted by Director General of Food and Agriculture Organization Qu Dongyu at the FAO headquarters.