Pavel Partha from Dhaka

The 1996 World Food Summit announced, Food cannot be used as a political and economic pressure in anyway.  But still, we see various political, economic, cultural and social pressures and controls are surrounding food. It is seen again that the food stock of all other species of the world has been abolished after the production and supply of human food. For the production of rice as a food, various harmful herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used in rice fields. Thus death happens from algae, microorganisms to various herbal, spider, snails, worms, frogs and small fish. Maybe the food produced for the man comes in front of the dish of rice. But because of the death of other members of nature like birds, cows, goats, chickens and other animals are in the food crisis.

In today’s world food is not only about hunger. Today it will be thought food from the beginning to production, supply, storage, marketing, exchange, distribution and access. And how this food is equally safe for all. It means that a fundamental right like food has become a major fundamental argument for everyone around the world today.

Efforts have been made to ‘produce more food’. But the world is forced to move towards sustainable food production. Now it has started to give importance to the environment, ecology, diversity, culture and the aspiration of the people in the field of food production. Every year 16 October is celebrated as World Food Day.  This year World Food Day has been called on ‘Increasing the allocation for food security and rural development” to change the future of relocation.

Until now, including South Asia, with Bangladesh, food is produced around the world, in the traditional form of agriculture. The main artisans of food production are still farmers and farmland. Although, not only production but also many populations in the world especially rural women are collecting some food from a different natural environment. But sadly, the state’s incentive and national budget is decreasing day by day in almost all the countries of South Asia including Bangladesh. In the interest of the farmers, the amount of subsidy is below the bottom. I have left the issue of unsafe food; if the allocation of food production is decreasing in this way, how can all food security be ensured? And the main areas of food production are still the old settlement villages in the world. Since urban agriculture and the field of commercial food production does not play a role in food security. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the food security system by increasing the allocation of rural food production system.

Today, in addition to man-made disasters with natural disasters, the world faces a difficult reality like the climate crisis. As a result of the disaster, life and nature, such as irreparable damage, a large part displaced due to disaster. It is necessary to stay in town and not involve risky occupation for their survival. Thus, the impact of the disaster is seen everywhere from the village to the city.

Most of the sufferers are women, children, elderly, indigenous and especially able and poor people. In such a situation, the farmer have to face more problems in food production. Bangladesh is a disastrous country. But this country has a wonderful power and strength to survive in the fight against disaster. The soil, water, geography, public life, life, nature and culture of this place have the courage to face disaster.

Besides, natural calamities like floods, drought, cyclone, tidal surge, premature floods, hill slopes, thunderstorms, the disastrous disasters have now created a new crisis to survive for Bangladesh. Inflammation collapses, building collapses with garment buildings collapse and even the refugees from different countries fleeing life-time have created disaster conditions in the country.  In such a situation, how is it possible for real peasants alone to manage food production? Without any special budget and clear demands allocation? Because, climate change is changing every day due to the climate crisis and disaster type.  In order to address this crisis, different conditions and requirements are being made for technical and instrument support. And allocating financial, policy and resources in such cases is a fundamental question.

For the sake of food security of the country, it is important to ensure necessary allocation to different regions and needs in agriculture and rural development. Anyway, we do not forget that our rural women are the main artisans and source of our food security. In 1997, rural women day was organized demanding the implementation of rights of rural women in the world. The Women’s World Summit Foundation (WWSF) has highlighted the need to implement the rights of rural women worldwide, and more than 100 countries around the world started celebrating rural women day with importance.

Bangladesh is a disastrous country. But this country has a wonderful power and strength to survive. Only two days ago on 13 October, the global disaster mitigation day was celebrated worldwide. Even after celebrating the day, we said that the soil, water, geography, public life, life, nature and culture of Bangladesh accumulate the courage to face disaster.

Due to natural calamities such as flood, drought, cyclone, tidal surge, premature floods, hilly shores, thunderstorms, the disastrous disaster has now created a new crisis to survive for Bangladesh. Inflammation collapses, building collapses with garment buildings collapse and even worse people fleeing to save lives from other countries are creating new disaster conditions in the country. As a result of the disaster, life and nature, such as irreparable damage, a large part displaced due to disaster.

It is necessary to stay in town and not involve risky occupation. Thus, the impact of the disaster is seen everywhere from the village to the city.  The most disadvantaged in the disaster is that of women, children, elderly, indigenous and especially able poor people.  Rural women in Bangladesh have a tremendous strength and experience in dealing with disasters.

In the mainstream society, women have to deal with various social deprivations, and women have to deal with the crisis before and after the disaster. Women prepare seeds, dried foods and valuables separately before the disaster. During the disaster, women also provide protection for children, elderly and livestock. Even after the disaster, starting from the house repair, the work of rehabilitation of households’ agriculture is done by the rural women. Rural women have a traditional knowledge of the weather and disaster predictions.

But women are not recognized for their contribution. National programs and policies  have always  neglected and ignored the rural women wisdom. Women’s participation is not considered in all respects, from the predicament of predisposition to disaster, service support or management. It is seen that things that do not apply to women are given relief or have been allocated as disaster relief. Even the disaster shelters are not women friendly. In spite of having a separate Standing Committee on Disaster and Women in the Union Council of the local government, the names of women’s representatives are not properly evaluated.

It is important to think seriously about the disaster-related crisis of rural women. It is important to understand the problems faced by the women, especially the problems faced by adolescents’ girls. It is important to add the power of women and various strategies to disaster management in disaster management.

We believe that this outstanding contribution of rural women in dealing with disaster is important in recognizing and emphasizing in national level. Because of natural and man-made disasters, people are being shifted from displaced to peasants, from village to city. Reduced agricultural land of food production, available domestic materials and life resources. Throughout the crisis, Bangladesh has been trying to uplift the trend of development.  In this case, the country’s biggest challenge is to ensure safe food security for all. And therefore there is no alternative to increase the focus on food security and rural development. And if this is not confirmed, it will be difficult to stop any future transfers, the pressure of life will increase in the city.  We do not want any of these miserable situations.

So now we all have to work together for rural development. BARCIK and Poba have long work experiences on safe food and food security. We know that it is not possible for any of us alone; to deal with it, we want everyone’s active participation and cooperation. We want to face all the disasters of the future through the provision of safe food, a comprehensive awakening of all levels.

What can we do in this situation? As a consumer and a buyer, first we want food to be safe. Safe means harmful and dangerous chemically free food. In such a situation it is necessary to secure the food source and the production site. Then there will be food supply, transportation, and marketing, storage, processing and serving. It is important to have food safe from ground soils to food dishes. Regular food tests are necessary to check whether it is safe or unsafe. We do not want any adulteration in food, as well as formalin-carbide or any harmful substances should not be mixed with food.

Thereafter, there are various types of food adulteration. Starting from insecticides, fungicides, fungal soils, starting from micro-organisms, snail-worm-killing insects kill all. Polluted the overall environment. Human health has become increasingly threatened. Children are going to die of eating poisoned litchi in the litchi season, especially in Dinajpur region. After the poisoning of the crops, the poultry of the villagers entered the land and died. Pesticides used in the land are washed in rainwater and their remains are being deposited in the pond. Thus, the diversity of the local fish will die. It is also creating food constraints for aquatic animals and water birds.

In a study titled ‘Harmful Effects of Pesticides’ conducted in the country’s South-Western Region BARCIK see that in these areas, pesticides of multinational syngenta, ACI and Padma companies are used by farmers. Bangladesh government banned insecticides such as Basudin are also being sold and used in these areas. According to the study conducted in 600 farmers of Satkhira Sadar, Shyamnagar, Kalaroa, Tala and Kaliganj upazilas in August 017, 98.34 percent farmers used pesticides.  In this, 61.53 farmers are suffering from various complications such as cancer, liver problems, diarrhea, hearing problems, kidney complications, physical and mental development. Spraying of pesticides on the daily, weekly or monthly basis is harmful. During spraying, 75 percent of the farmers are exposed to insecticides directly in the body. After most of spraying the farmer, eat without washing hands and body.  And 54 percent of the peasants do not wear any defensive dresses while spraying pesticides. After spraying empty pesticides and bottles of pesticides are not destroyed and these are left out.

This harmful effect of contaminants is not only harmful to human health but it also causes environmental pollution. This kind of free use of the cutter is increasing the agricultural production but the food is poisonous. Which people are being infected with other diseases after eating. And more time, attention and money are being wasted in order to cure it. Through these research, farmers have been continuing a public awareness program at farmers’ level to protect the environment from harmful pesticides and to make food safer. Again, as a result of this study, we have to say again that allocation for food security and rural development must be increased. But this allocation is not used to produce safe toxic food.

Using native crop-variety it is possible to produce safe food in a natural way through organic food farming. Even for agricultural purposes, there is no direct chemical application on land. In other areas, food is being polluted and threatened while producing food. Bangladesh Agricultural University recently found in a study, unrefined poultry waste is transmitted in vegetable and groundwater due to its use in fields and water sources. Researchers at the University’s Pathology Department have identified the salmonella and e-Coli bacteria in carrots, Karalla, brinjal, Gourd, Cucumber, Moth, Strawberry, Pepper and Jhinga which is responsible for typhoid and diarrheal diseases (sources: Daily Prothom Alo, 7th October, 2017). The Department of Chemistry Department of Dhaka University 2014 has discovered the presence of chromium in poultry chicken as following ratio- 799 ppm in the brain, 344 ppm of meat, 557 ppm in skin, 570 ppm and of bone 1990 ppm (source: International Journal of Civil, Structural, Environment and Infrastructure Engineering and Development, August 2014). The tolerable levels of this heavy metal chromium are 25 ppm per day.

Starting from granary food, animal meat or vegetables even fruits are not safe today. Health and environment are not risk-free. Now, in the case of food production, we need to fulfill the basic condition. We have to produce, use, distribute and receive safe, risk-free, and free of adulteration food. We are talking about making clear safe food production on World Food Day this year to increase food allocation for food production.

Food does not prevent hunger only; it causes physical and mental development. The food has geographical, ecological and cultural considerations. For the purpose of food production and food security, we have to give importance to these diverse and cultural considerations. The inter-dependent relationship of all the souls and species associated with food should be emphasized. Safe food for all is a prerequisite to a democratic pluralistic society system. To fulfill this requirement, everyone, including the state, people, media, will have to work together. There is no substitute for safe food, no patchwork can be made without any surprises. Safe food awakens and develops everyone’s respectful relationship with everyone in the society. Let us all increase our responsibilities in the production of safe food.

translated by Bahauddin Bahar