1 In 4 Facing Food Insecurity: WFP

A survey report released by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) revealed, One in four people in Bangladesh are food insecure, and 46 per cent of the poor population is in this dire situation.

The report, titled 'Bangladesh Food Security Monitoring Report: May-August,' was released early on this month.

As per the report, increasing rate of natural calamities and the resulting rise in human losses are among the reasons for the worsening food situation.

It highlights that several parts of the country experienced low rainfall and persistent heatwaves during the summer. The intensity of the heatwave was particularly high in the Rajshahi division. In August, Chattogram and Sylhet witnessed sudden flood. In addition to this, cyclones and landslides have also occurred. Last year, similar weather conditions exacerbated the food security situation.

Earlier, the WFP published another report titled 'Bangladesh Market Monitor: May-July' in September. In that report, the agency noted that food prices in Bangladesh are rising due to a decline in remittance inflow and a crisis in foreign exchange reserves.

Simultaneously, the cost of production of food products like rice and vegetables has increased due to the rise in fertilizer, electricity, and fuel prices, as stated in the report. In August last year, the country's foreign exchange reserves fell by 25 per cent, and the value of the taka saw a record drop, the report mentioned.

Additionally, the latest Food and Expenditure Survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), published in April 2022, stated that the poverty rate in the country is 18.7 per cent. The survey revealed that the poverty rate has decreased despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Amidst the current situation, World Food Day is being celebrated worldwide, including in Bangladesh, on Monday (October 16). This year's theme for the day is 'Water is life, water is food. No one can be left behind.'