ADVOCACY PAPERS ONFOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

! UPR STAKEHOLDERS’ REPORT ON RIGHT TO FOOD IN BANGLADESH

! THEMATIC PAPER ON POST MDGs FRAMEWORK ON FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

OXFAM IN BANGLADESH

ADVOCACY PAPERS ONFOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION 2012-13

! UPR STAKEHOLDERS’ REPORT ON RIGHT TO FOOD IN BANGLADESH

! THEMATIC PAPER ON POST MDGs FRAMEWORK ON FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

OXFAM IN BANGLADESH

ADVOCACY PAPERS ONFOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION 2012-13

! UPR STAKEHOLDERS’ REPORT ON RIGHT TO FOOD IN BANGLADESH

! THEMATIC PAPER ON POST MDGs FRAMEWORK ON FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

OXFAM IN BANGLADESH

Message from Country Director

Hunger and food insecurity form the most serious consequence of poverty. This has multiplying effects on other basic rights such as, education, health, etc. The latest FAO statistics illustrate that approximately 842 million people in the world do not eat enough to be healthy. In other words one in every eight people on earth goes to bed hungry. Despite the international community and the state governments having recognized the right to food as a fundamental human right years ago way back in 1948 through Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the right based approach is yet to be reflected well in policy frameworks relating to food security and poverty reduction. Oxfam campaigns against the unjust system in the world which is characterized by an unequal power structure and unjust resource distribution. It advocates for right based policy frameworks creating the space for people to participate in the policy and programme formulation processes that affects their life and livelihoods.

In Bangladesh Oxfam advocates for adopting a right based approach to food security related interventions. We also advocate to gain legal recognition of right to food so as to 1) ensure access to remedy and 2) strengthen the accountability mechanism governing the implementation of policies and programmes on food security. It engages with relevant national and international forum to draw policy makers attention to its advocacy calls.

In 2012, Oxfam in conjunction with CSRL (Oxfam supported campaign for sustainable rural livelihoods) prepared a stakeholders’ report on right to food in Bangladesh to be submitted to OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) in the time for Bangladesh’s universal periodic review by the UN Human Rights Council in 2013.

In 2013, Oxfam and its local campaign partners engaged in civil society initiatives led by the People Forum on MDGs (PFM) to influence the Post 2015 framework development. In that process, Oxfam led on the preparation of thematic position paper on Post MDGs framework on Right to Food and Nutrition as one of nine thematic papers developed for the purpose. This paper was sent to the Bangladesh Government for consideration while developing Government’s position on Post MDG’s framework.

I hope the publication of these two advocacy papers namely, ‘Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh’ and ‘Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition’ will widen the scope of disseminating the key policy recommendations on food security and nutrition issues. The compilation will also help to understand the food security context of Bangladesh.

Snehal V. SonejiCountry DirectorOxfam in Bangladesh

ADVOCACY PAPERS ON FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION 2012-13

OXFAM IN BANGLADESH

Published onMarch 2014

Cover PhotoEmdadul Islam Bitu

Design & Printed byARKA

Oxfam in BangladeshHouse 4, Road 3, Block IBanani, Dhaka 1213, BangladeshPhone: +880 8813607-9, 8824440Fax: +880 8817402www.oxfam.org/bangladeshhttp://growbd.worldpress.comhttp://twitter.com/growbangladeshhttp://www.oxfam.org/en/grow

Message from Country Director

Hunger and food insecurity form the most serious consequence of poverty. This has multiplying effects on other basic rights such as, education, health, etc. The latest FAO statistics illustrate that approximately 842 million people in the world do not eat enough to be healthy. In other words one in every eight people on earth goes to bed hungry. Despite the international community and the state governments having recognized the right to food as a fundamental human right years ago way back in 1948 through Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the right based approach is yet to be reflected well in policy frameworks relating to food security and poverty reduction. Oxfam campaigns against the unjust system in the world which is characterized by an unequal power structure and unjust resource distribution. It advocates for right based policy frameworks creating the space for people to participate in the policy and programme formulation processes that affects their life and livelihoods.

In Bangladesh Oxfam advocates for adopting a right based approach to food security related interventions. We also advocate to gain legal recognition of right to food so as to 1) ensure access to remedy and 2) strengthen the accountability mechanism governing the implementation of policies and programmes on food security. It engages with relevant national and international forum to draw policy makers attention to its advocacy calls.

In 2012, Oxfam in conjunction with CSRL (Oxfam supported campaign for sustainable rural livelihoods) prepared a stakeholders’ report on right to food in Bangladesh to be submitted to OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) in the time for Bangladesh’s universal periodic review by the UN Human Rights Council in 2013.

In 2013, Oxfam and its local campaign partners engaged in civil society initiatives led by the People Forum on MDGs (PFM) to influence the Post 2015 framework development. In that process, Oxfam led on the preparation of thematic position paper on Post MDGs framework on Right to Food and Nutrition as one of nine thematic papers developed for the purpose. This paper was sent to the Bangladesh Government for consideration while developing Government’s position on Post MDG’s framework.

I hope the publication of these two advocacy papers namely, ‘Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh’ and ‘Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition’ will widen the scope of disseminating the key policy recommendations on food security and nutrition issues. The compilation will also help to understand the food security context of Bangladesh.

Snehal V. SonejiCountry DirectorOxfam in Bangladesh

ADVOCACY PAPERS ON FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION 2012-13

OXFAM IN BANGLADESH

Published onMarch 2014

Cover PhotoEmdadul Islam Bitu

Design & Printed byARKA

Oxfam in BangladeshHouse 4, Road 3, Block IBanani, Dhaka 1213, BangladeshPhone: +880 8813607-9, 8824440Fax: +880 8817402www.oxfam.org/bangladeshhttp://growbd.worldpress.comhttp://twitter.com/growbangladeshhttp://www.oxfam.org/en/grow

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh

Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Bangladesh

UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council16th session (22 Apr-3 May 2013)

1 21. This stakeholders’ report has been prepared jointly by Oxfam and a national alliance CSRL (Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood) in Bangladesh (Annex 1 for the description of Oxfam and CSRL alliance). This report is particularly focused on the right to food situation of Bangladesh and is based on several consultations organized as part of the report preparation process. Various available secondary sources of information like publications of both government and non government organizations and other documentation, experience of Oxfam and CSRL have been referred in this report. The draft report has also been shared with

3relevant individuals and organizations including National Human Rights Commission. This report has been developed following the guidelines adopted by the Human Rights Council. Apart from acknowledging the progress made so far, the report endeavors to highlight the challenges and concerns associated with improving the right to food situation. This report also put forward several specific recommendations relevant for Bangladesh and the international community to act upon in order to achieve the progressive realization of the right to food for the people of Bangladesh.

2. The Bangladesh Constitution recognizes the state’s responsibility to all citizens’ right to food in part 2 of the Constitution, though strictly not as a fundamental right, but as a part of the fundamental principle of state. Through the provision of article 11, the Constitution guarantees the fundamental human rights and freedoms and respect for the dignity and worth of the human person. Article 15(a) of the Constitution stipulates the fundamental responsibility of the state to securing for its citizens the provision of the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care.

3. Bangladesh has ratified almost all of the international core human rights treaties (Annex II). By ratifying the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural rights (ICESCR) Bangladesh has undertaken specific obligations to ensure right to food, a fundamental human right for its citizens. As a signatory to the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, Bangladesh has expressed its commitment to implementing the Declaration on the Right to Development adopted by the United Nations in 1986. Bangladesh has also made commitments to cut by half the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition by 2015 under the World Food Summit Declaration and the UN Millennium Declaration.

I. Methodology

II. Constitutional and Legislative Framework on Right to Food

III. Bangladesh’s International Commitments on Right to Food

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh

05

Preamble

Launched in June 2011, GROW is Oxfam’s biggest campaign ever conveys a simple message: Another future is possible. GROW aims to build movements and momentums demanding for enabling environment so that all people, particularly the poor in the world and in Bangladesh have enough to eat.

This publication is a compilation of two advocacy papers to explain the context, opportunities and challenges on Food Security situation with a clear set of recommendations about way forward. A thorough consultative process was followed with local, national stakeholders in preparing these reports and various government and non government sources were considered for relevant data collection.

The Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh was prepared in 2012 targeting Bangladesh’s second universal periodic review of human rights by UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Together with other CSO/NGO submissions, this stakeholders' report focusing on the right to food has been posted on OHCHR website and was referred in the OHCHR compilation made on the human rights situation of Bangladesh to be considered by the Human Rights Council during the review of Bangladesh’s situation.

The thematic paper on food security and Post MDGs framework, ‘Looking beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition’ was prepared in 2013 under a civil society initiative to influence government positioning on post MDGs framework.

We hope, this publication will be helpful to understand the food security situation of Bangladesh from all three dimensions of availability, accessibility and utilization. We believe that this compilation will also contribute to synergy building among all the relevant stakeholders on the need for a human right based comprehensive legal framework on right to food.

Monisha BiswasPolicy Advocacy ManagerOxfam in Bangladesh

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh

Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Bangladesh

UPR Working Group of the Human Rights Council16th session (22 Apr-3 May 2013)

1 21. This stakeholders’ report has been prepared jointly by Oxfam and a national alliance CSRL (Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood) in Bangladesh (Annex 1 for the description of Oxfam and CSRL alliance). This report is particularly focused on the right to food situation of Bangladesh and is based on several consultations organized as part of the report preparation process. Various available secondary sources of information like publications of both government and non government organizations and other documentation, experience of Oxfam and CSRL have been referred in this report. The draft report has also been shared with

3relevant individuals and organizations including National Human Rights Commission. This report has been developed following the guidelines adopted by the Human Rights Council. Apart from acknowledging the progress made so far, the report endeavors to highlight the challenges and concerns associated with improving the right to food situation. This report also put forward several specific recommendations relevant for Bangladesh and the international community to act upon in order to achieve the progressive realization of the right to food for the people of Bangladesh.

2. The Bangladesh Constitution recognizes the state’s responsibility to all citizens’ right to food in part 2 of the Constitution, though strictly not as a fundamental right, but as a part of the fundamental principle of state. Through the provision of article 11, the Constitution guarantees the fundamental human rights and freedoms and respect for the dignity and worth of the human person. Article 15(a) of the Constitution stipulates the fundamental responsibility of the state to securing for its citizens the provision of the basic necessities of life, including food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care.

3. Bangladesh has ratified almost all of the international core human rights treaties (Annex II). By ratifying the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural rights (ICESCR) Bangladesh has undertaken specific obligations to ensure right to food, a fundamental human right for its citizens. As a signatory to the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993, Bangladesh has expressed its commitment to implementing the Declaration on the Right to Development adopted by the United Nations in 1986. Bangladesh has also made commitments to cut by half the number of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition by 2015 under the World Food Summit Declaration and the UN Millennium Declaration.

I. Methodology

II. Constitutional and Legislative Framework on Right to Food

III. Bangladesh’s International Commitments on Right to Food

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh

05

Preamble

Launched in June 2011, GROW is Oxfam’s biggest campaign ever conveys a simple message: Another future is possible. GROW aims to build movements and momentums demanding for enabling environment so that all people, particularly the poor in the world and in Bangladesh have enough to eat.

This publication is a compilation of two advocacy papers to explain the context, opportunities and challenges on Food Security situation with a clear set of recommendations about way forward. A thorough consultative process was followed with local, national stakeholders in preparing these reports and various government and non government sources were considered for relevant data collection.

The Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh was prepared in 2012 targeting Bangladesh’s second universal periodic review of human rights by UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Together with other CSO/NGO submissions, this stakeholders' report focusing on the right to food has been posted on OHCHR website and was referred in the OHCHR compilation made on the human rights situation of Bangladesh to be considered by the Human Rights Council during the review of Bangladesh’s situation.

The thematic paper on food security and Post MDGs framework, ‘Looking beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition’ was prepared in 2013 under a civil society initiative to influence government positioning on post MDGs framework.

We hope, this publication will be helpful to understand the food security situation of Bangladesh from all three dimensions of availability, accessibility and utilization. We believe that this compilation will also contribute to synergy building among all the relevant stakeholders on the need for a human right based comprehensive legal framework on right to food.

Monisha BiswasPolicy Advocacy ManagerOxfam in Bangladesh

against the backdrop of a growing population, decreasing agricultural lands, and frequently occurring natural hazards, all of which tend to adversely affect food production. Agriculture is critically important in ensuring food security by enhancing food production, generating more jobs and increasing the income of farmers. Various ongoing government initiatives to promote agricultural growth include: framing National Agricultural Policy 2011, providing ‘Agricultural Inputs Support Card’ to the farmers across the country, delivering the opportunity of opening a bank account by depositing only Tk.10 (12 cents), introducing crop insurance schemes in a pilot scale to test efficacy, distribution of fair price cards among the poor farmers for inputs, forming Farmers Club and Marketing Groups, and providing credit facilities to the farmers. Some other initiatives as forecasted in the budget statement 2012-13 include: enacting ‘Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Act, 2012’, and increasing the number of the agricultural information communication centers.

9. Despite approaching self-sufficiency in rice, to ensure food availability in a sustainable manner, challenges remain in many areas. However, monitoring adequacy and stability of food

4supply is challenging because of data limitations . The conversion of arable land for non-agricultural purposes, mining of essential nutrients and micro-nutrients and organic carbon from the top soils, and the depletion of ground water, are major challenges to be faced in

5sustaining future productive capacity. A recent study found that between 2001 and 2008, the conversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural was 0.56% with an associated loss of rice production estimated to have been between 0.86 and 1.16 %.

10. A huge quantity of water, mostly from ground water aquifer sources across the country, is utilized in paddy fields to compensate for moisture stress. In absence of a regulation towards using groundwater tube wells, the resource base is now at risk of declining piezometric surface, especially in areas where the irrigation demand is very high. The long term sustainability of the resource base is now at risk, which warrants immediate actions towards efficiently used groundwater resources and the technologies (such as the AWD) that ensure judicious use of the declining resource.

Table 1: Projected Food Grain Requirement and ProductionFigures in thousands metric tons

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

Year

2010

2015

Table 2: Total food grain production: lac metric tons

Source: Bangladesh Economic Review 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). * DAE

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh

07

2005-06

17.45

108.10

139.75

265.53

7.35

5.22

277.87

2006-07

15.12

108.41

149.65

273.18

7.25

8.99

289.42

2007-08

15.07

96.62

177.62

289.31

8.44

13.46

311.21

2009-10

17.09

133.07

183.41

322.57

9.69

8.87

341.13

2010-11*

21.33

127.91

186.17

335.41

9.72

15.52

360.65

Food grain

Aus

Aman

Boro

Total Rice

Wheat

Maize

Total

2003-04

18.32

115.21

128.37

261.90

12.53

2.41

276.44

2004-05

15.00

98.20

138.37

251.57

9.76

3.56

264.89

Food grain requirement

24519.60

25943.42

Net total production

27587.04

29797.54

4. Bangladesh is serving as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for two consecutive terms. Prior to offering its candidature for the second term, Bangladesh made voluntary pledges towards human rights which included commitments to intensify its efforts, while framing its national policies and strategies, to uphold the fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh as well as those of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international and regional human rights instruments to which it is a party. This includes its commitment to enhance efforts to ensure the provision of basic necessities to its people, including food, clothing, shelter, education and primary health care as a means of effectively enjoying all human rights, and strengthen efforts to meet its obligations under the treaty bodies to which it is a party through the effective implementation of relevant national programs. Under the first Universal Periodic Review, Bangladesh accepted the recommendation to continue its efforts to ensure the right to food for the citizens.

5. Bangladesh has a comprehensive food security policy framework that includes National Food Policy 2006, accompanied by the National Food Policy and Plan of Action (2008-2015), and an investment plan named the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan, a road map towards investment in agriculture, food security and nutrition. Besides the specific policy framework on food security, food security issues have been well reflected in other major policy and program documents, such as, ‘Reality’, Sixth Five Year Plan for FY 2011-2015.

6. As a universally recognized human right, the right to food entails the availability and accessibility of adequate food meeting dietary needs (ensuring all constituents namely, carbohydrates; proteins (both of animal and vegetable origins), fats (both of animal and vegetable origins), vitamins and minerals both in terms of quantity and quality. It also states that food availability has to be ensured on a sustainable basis and should not be compromised even in the wake of vulnerabilities either man-made or those finding their origins in extreme natural events. Very positively, National Food Policy 2006 outlines the strategies and objectives covering all three elements: availability, access and utilization. The National Food Policy 2006 objectives are: adequate and stable supply of safe and nutritious food, increased purchasing power and access to food of the people, and adequate nutrition for all individuals, especially for women and children. Accordingly, the National Food Policy and Plan of Action (2008-2015) set the targeted actions to achieve the goal and the Country Investment Plan 2011 states the corresponding investment requirements in line with the Sixth Five Year Plan and the Millennium Development Goals.

7. Despite Bangladesh’s firm commitment to create provisions for food for its citizens, the state of food security in Bangladesh is still not satisfactory. The Global Hunger Index 2011 ranked Bangladesh 70th among the 81 countries where Global Food Security Index 2012 ranked Bangladesh 81st among 105 countries.

8. In recent years, Bangladesh has made progress in food grain production thereby stepping towards being self sufficient in rice (Table 1 & 2). In the past four decades since independence in 1971, the country has been successful in increasing its rice production from a mere 0.8 Million Metric Tonnes to 3.5 Million Metric Tonnes. This daunting task has been achieved

IV. Bangladesh’s Policy and Program Framework

V. Right to Food Situation on the Ground

Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010-2021: Making Vision 2021 a

Food Availability

Joint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

06

2008-09

18.95

116.13

178.09

313.17

8.44

7.30

328.96

against the backdrop of a growing population, decreasing agricultural lands, and frequently occurring natural hazards, all of which tend to adversely affect food production. Agriculture is critically important in ensuring food security by enhancing food production, generating more jobs and increasing the income of farmers. Various ongoing government initiatives to promote agricultural growth include: framing National Agricultural Policy 2011, providing ‘Agricultural Inputs Support Card’ to the farmers across the country, delivering the opportunity of opening a bank account by depositing only Tk.10 (12 cents), introducing crop insurance schemes in a pilot scale to test efficacy, distribution of fair price cards among the poor farmers for inputs, forming Farmers Club and Marketing Groups, and providing credit facilities to the farmers. Some other initiatives as forecasted in the budget statement 2012-13 include: enacting ‘Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Act, 2012’, and increasing the number of the agricultural information communication centers.

9. Despite approaching self-sufficiency in rice, to ensure food availability in a sustainable manner, challenges remain in many areas. However, monitoring adequacy and stability of food

4supply is challenging because of data limitations . The conversion of arable land for non-agricultural purposes, mining of essential nutrients and micro-nutrients and organic carbon from the top soils, and the depletion of ground water, are major challenges to be faced in

5sustaining future productive capacity. A recent study found that between 2001 and 2008, the conversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural was 0.56% with an associated loss of rice production estimated to have been between 0.86 and 1.16 %.

10. A huge quantity of water, mostly from ground water aquifer sources across the country, is utilized in paddy fields to compensate for moisture stress. In absence of a regulation towards using groundwater tube wells, the resource base is now at risk of declining piezometric surface, especially in areas where the irrigation demand is very high. The long term sustainability of the resource base is now at risk, which warrants immediate actions towards efficiently used groundwater resources and the technologies (such as the AWD) that ensure judicious use of the declining resource.

Table 1: Projected Food Grain Requirement and ProductionFigures in thousands metric tons

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

Year

2010

2015

Table 2: Total food grain production: lac metric tons

Source: Bangladesh Economic Review 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). * DAE

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in Bangladesh

07

2005-06

17.45

108.10

139.75

265.53

7.35

5.22

277.87

2006-07

15.12

108.41

149.65

273.18

7.25

8.99

289.42

2007-08

15.07

96.62

177.62

289.31

8.44

13.46

311.21

2009-10

17.09

133.07

183.41

322.57

9.69

8.87

341.13

2010-11*

21.33

127.91

186.17

335.41

9.72

15.52

360.65

Food grain

Aus

Aman

Boro

Total Rice

Wheat

Maize

Total

2003-04

18.32

115.21

128.37

261.90

12.53

2.41

276.44

2004-05

15.00

98.20

138.37

251.57

9.76

3.56

264.89

Food grain requirement

24519.60

25943.42

Net total production

27587.04

29797.54

4. Bangladesh is serving as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for two consecutive terms. Prior to offering its candidature for the second term, Bangladesh made voluntary pledges towards human rights which included commitments to intensify its efforts, while framing its national policies and strategies, to uphold the fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh as well as those of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international and regional human rights instruments to which it is a party. This includes its commitment to enhance efforts to ensure the provision of basic necessities to its people, including food, clothing, shelter, education and primary health care as a means of effectively enjoying all human rights, and strengthen efforts to meet its obligations under the treaty bodies to which it is a party through the effective implementation of relevant national programs. Under the first Universal Periodic Review, Bangladesh accepted the recommendation to continue its efforts to ensure the right to food for the citizens.

5. Bangladesh has a comprehensive food security policy framework that includes National Food Policy 2006, accompanied by the National Food Policy and Plan of Action (2008-2015), and an investment plan named the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan, a road map towards investment in agriculture, food security and nutrition. Besides the specific policy framework on food security, food security issues have been well reflected in other major policy and program documents, such as, ‘Reality’, Sixth Five Year Plan for FY 2011-2015.

6. As a universally recognized human right, the right to food entails the availability and accessibility of adequate food meeting dietary needs (ensuring all constituents namely, carbohydrates; proteins (both of animal and vegetable origins), fats (both of animal and vegetable origins), vitamins and minerals both in terms of quantity and quality. It also states that food availability has to be ensured on a sustainable basis and should not be compromised even in the wake of vulnerabilities either man-made or those finding their origins in extreme natural events. Very positively, National Food Policy 2006 outlines the strategies and objectives covering all three elements: availability, access and utilization. The National Food Policy 2006 objectives are: adequate and stable supply of safe and nutritious food, increased purchasing power and access to food of the people, and adequate nutrition for all individuals, especially for women and children. Accordingly, the National Food Policy and Plan of Action (2008-2015) set the targeted actions to achieve the goal and the Country Investment Plan 2011 states the corresponding investment requirements in line with the Sixth Five Year Plan and the Millennium Development Goals.

7. Despite Bangladesh’s firm commitment to create provisions for food for its citizens, the state of food security in Bangladesh is still not satisfactory. The Global Hunger Index 2011 ranked Bangladesh 70th among the 81 countries where Global Food Security Index 2012 ranked Bangladesh 81st among 105 countries.

8. In recent years, Bangladesh has made progress in food grain production thereby stepping towards being self sufficient in rice (Table 1 & 2). In the past four decades since independence in 1971, the country has been successful in increasing its rice production from a mere 0.8 Million Metric Tonnes to 3.5 Million Metric Tonnes. This daunting task has been achieved

IV. Bangladesh’s Policy and Program Framework

V. Right to Food Situation on the Ground

Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010-2021: Making Vision 2021 a

Food Availability

Joint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

06

2008-09

18.95

116.13

178.09

313.17

8.44

7.30

328.96

Experience of the past few years indicate that the share of agricultural expenditure in the total budget has been on a declining trend since FY2010. Similarly, budgetary amount of subsidies available to agriculture and food security is also declining (Annex IV: Table 3 & 4).

17. Recent official statistics from Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2010 (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011), shows the progress in reducing the poverty rate (31.5%) in 2010 from 56% in 1991-1992.However, since this HIES report estimates poverty using only the Cost of Basic Needs (CBN) method and not the Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) method, this poverty estimate does not directly show the food security status.

18. The Millennium Development Goals Bangladesh Progress Report 2011 acknowledges that despite progress in poverty eradication, attaining food security and nutritional well-being still remains a huge challenge. Still, a large number of people remain unable to access food in the quantity, diversity and regularity required for a food secure life. According to the Welfare Monitoring Survey 2009(A BBS Survey), 39.8% of the population thinks that they are food insecure. The households reported that food crisis is a long term phenomenon for them (80.8%) and the main reasons behind this are less income (59.6%) and lack of agricultural land (44.8%). Labor Force Survey 2010, carried out by BBS, shows a low employment rate that is 59.3 % of the population with low participation of women (36%). Currently, women’s agricultural

14wages are 41% less than men , the difference of which is still high. The Millennium Development Goals, Bangladesh Progress Report 2011 reveals the increasing income

15inequality between the rich and the poor . Findings of HIES 2010 reveal that the incidence of rural poverty is higher than that of urban poverty (Annex V) and poverty ranged from 26% in Chittagong division to 46% in Rangpur division.

19. There is a significant difference in agricultural daily wages for male and female labors. This situation is especially crucial for poor female-headed households who have no means of income other than day-labor. Though movement in real wages determines the affordability to those who are employed, the benefits of the increased wages are seasonal and last only for five months during the harvest and planting seasons. Regional disparities exist in the proportion of the population with less than 2,122 kcal/day. Bangladesh Household Food Security Nutrition Assessment 2008-09 reported that populations living in Barisal and Rajshahi divisions had worse (lower) food consumption scores in comparison with other divisions (Annex VI). The survey also found that female headed households and households in rural areas are more food insecure compared to their respective counterparts.

20. Food price hike and price instability have become a matter of grave concern particularly for 16the low income and fixed income people (Annex VII) . The greatest impact of price hike is on

poor households whose food to non-food shares are proportionately larger in household spending (68% of total household expenditures in the poorest 5% of households go on food

17compared to 33% in the richest 5% of households) . Given the instability of food prices, the Government has reinstated Open Market Sales (OMS) to stabilize consumer prices during the lean seasons. However, the quantity distributed through OMS has generally not exceeded 1% of total market supply suggesting that the impact in terms of price stabilization is quite low relative to the relief provided to poor urban consumers, though in 2010/11, the distribution reached almost 3% of total supply with significant effects in containing price inflation observed between late 2010

18and the first part of 2012 . If the present trend continues, urban poor will be affected due to possible food price hike, poor wage and lack of access to nutritious food and safe drinking water.

Food Access

09

11. The climate change caused by global warming has also appeared as a severe threat to subsistence scale agricultural production in future. On the one hand, CO fertilization will 2

facilitate the increase in yield at low levels of warming, perhaps up to 2ºC. On the other hand, CO fertilization beyond 2ºC regime will tend to lose out against adverse effects of rising 2

temperature on C3 crops, while C4 crops (non-staple crops in Bangladesh) might still be giving good yields. With specific reference to food grains, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that, in Bangladesh, by 2050, changing rainfall patterns with increasing temperatures, flooding, droughts and salinity (in the coastal belt) could cause an 8% and 32% decline in rice and wheat production respectively, compared to 1990 (Rashid et al., 2009). Increased population pressure is another challenge to meet the growing demands of

6balanced food from in-country production and number of climate induced displaced may increase.

12. Farmers’ access to markets, optimizing inputs (fertilizer and irrigation), improving farmers’ profits, etc appear to be equally important. Since the majority of the farmers are small and marginalized (Annex III), they need incentives in the production of high cost agricultural products. However, high production costs compounded with inadequate and inefficient subsidy

7mechanism, lack of fair price of agricultural products , lack of adequate storage facilities, faulty public procurement system and problems related to farmers’ access to market are some of the major constraints faced by small and marginal farmers. These challenges make resource poor farmers’ livelihoods vulnerable and might in turn discourage the farmers to continue farming.

13. Lack of quality seeds and fertilizer affect agricultural production. Though subsidized inputs are provided for the benefit of the small farmers, and government has already taken various positive steps to ease the process of getting subsidized inputs from the resource poor farmers, targeted farmers are often deprived of the benefits due to lack of proper functioning of the

8governance system. A study conducted in 2010 reveals that although urea is strictly to be sold by the designated dealers of the own unions only, more than 17 percent of it is put on the open market (an indication of leakage in the fertilizer distribution system). Though various policy directions have been given to the private commercial banks to increase the flow of credit to farming activities, progress is slow, and access to credit is one of the biggest constraints to farmers because of inadequate and inefficient financial institutions in the rural areas.

14. Women play important roles as producers of food, managers of natural resources, income earners, and caretakers of household food and nutrition security but women’s access to and control over land are still confined. A study finds that men own 96% of land where women own

9the remaining 4% of land . Consequently a significant number of women farmers in Bangladesh are unable to access fertilizer, cash assistance and other government subsidies intended for

10farmers, because of the lack of land ownership .

1115. Notwithstanding the recent policy documents that set the programs for crop diversification and for development of fisheries and livestock sector, these subsectors’ growth pace is slow due to various challenges including a lack of adequate resource allocation and institutional capacity of respective government agencies, and a lack of policy incentives to encourage

12local private investors . And wide gap exists between the current productions and demands for 13milk, meat, and eggs .

16. Despite the critical importance of agriculture for increasing economic growth and ensuring food security, investment in agriculture is found to be falling much shorter than the needs.

the

08

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

Experience of the past few years indicate that the share of agricultural expenditure in the total budget has been on a declining trend since FY2010. Similarly, budgetary amount of subsidies available to agriculture and food security is also declining (Annex IV: Table 3 & 4).

17. Recent official statistics from Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2010 (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), 2011), shows the progress in reducing the poverty rate (31.5%) in 2010 from 56% in 1991-1992.However, since this HIES report estimates poverty using only the Cost of Basic Needs (CBN) method and not the Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) method, this poverty estimate does not directly show the food security status.

18. The Millennium Development Goals Bangladesh Progress Report 2011 acknowledges that despite progress in poverty eradication, attaining food security and nutritional well-being still remains a huge challenge. Still, a large number of people remain unable to access food in the quantity, diversity and regularity required for a food secure life. According to the Welfare Monitoring Survey 2009(A BBS Survey), 39.8% of the population thinks that they are food insecure. The households reported that food crisis is a long term phenomenon for them (80.8%) and the main reasons behind this are less income (59.6%) and lack of agricultural land (44.8%). Labor Force Survey 2010, carried out by BBS, shows a low employment rate that is 59.3 % of the population with low participation of women (36%). Currently, women’s agricultural

14wages are 41% less than men , the difference of which is still high. The Millennium Development Goals, Bangladesh Progress Report 2011 reveals the increasing income

15inequality between the rich and the poor . Findings of HIES 2010 reveal that the incidence of rural poverty is higher than that of urban poverty (Annex V) and poverty ranged from 26% in Chittagong division to 46% in Rangpur division.

19. There is a significant difference in agricultural daily wages for male and female labors. This situation is especially crucial for poor female-headed households who have no means of income other than day-labor. Though movement in real wages determines the affordability to those who are employed, the benefits of the increased wages are seasonal and last only for five months during the harvest and planting seasons. Regional disparities exist in the proportion of the population with less than 2,122 kcal/day. Bangladesh Household Food Security Nutrition Assessment 2008-09 reported that populations living in Barisal and Rajshahi divisions had worse (lower) food consumption scores in comparison with other divisions (Annex VI). The survey also found that female headed households and households in rural areas are more food insecure compared to their respective counterparts.

20. Food price hike and price instability have become a matter of grave concern particularly for 16the low income and fixed income people (Annex VII) . The greatest impact of price hike is on

poor households whose food to non-food shares are proportionately larger in household spending (68% of total household expenditures in the poorest 5% of households go on food

17compared to 33% in the richest 5% of households) . Given the instability of food prices, the Government has reinstated Open Market Sales (OMS) to stabilize consumer prices during the lean seasons. However, the quantity distributed through OMS has generally not exceeded 1% of total market supply suggesting that the impact in terms of price stabilization is quite low relative to the relief provided to poor urban consumers, though in 2010/11, the distribution reached almost 3% of total supply with significant effects in containing price inflation observed between late 2010

18and the first part of 2012 . If the present trend continues, urban poor will be affected due to possible food price hike, poor wage and lack of access to nutritious food and safe drinking water.

Food Access

09

11. The climate change caused by global warming has also appeared as a severe threat to subsistence scale agricultural production in future. On the one hand, CO fertilization will 2

facilitate the increase in yield at low levels of warming, perhaps up to 2ºC. On the other hand, CO fertilization beyond 2ºC regime will tend to lose out against adverse effects of rising 2

temperature on C3 crops, while C4 crops (non-staple crops in Bangladesh) might still be giving good yields. With specific reference to food grains, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that, in Bangladesh, by 2050, changing rainfall patterns with increasing temperatures, flooding, droughts and salinity (in the coastal belt) could cause an 8% and 32% decline in rice and wheat production respectively, compared to 1990 (Rashid et al., 2009). Increased population pressure is another challenge to meet the growing demands of

6balanced food from in-country production and number of climate induced displaced may increase.

12. Farmers’ access to markets, optimizing inputs (fertilizer and irrigation), improving farmers’ profits, etc appear to be equally important. Since the majority of the farmers are small and marginalized (Annex III), they need incentives in the production of high cost agricultural products. However, high production costs compounded with inadequate and inefficient subsidy

7mechanism, lack of fair price of agricultural products , lack of adequate storage facilities, faulty public procurement system and problems related to farmers’ access to market are some of the major constraints faced by small and marginal farmers. These challenges make resource poor farmers’ livelihoods vulnerable and might in turn discourage the farmers to continue farming.

13. Lack of quality seeds and fertilizer affect agricultural production. Though subsidized inputs are provided for the benefit of the small farmers, and government has already taken various positive steps to ease the process of getting subsidized inputs from the resource poor farmers, targeted farmers are often deprived of the benefits due to lack of proper functioning of the

8governance system. A study conducted in 2010 reveals that although urea is strictly to be sold by the designated dealers of the own unions only, more than 17 percent of it is put on the open market (an indication of leakage in the fertilizer distribution system). Though various policy directions have been given to the private commercial banks to increase the flow of credit to farming activities, progress is slow, and access to credit is one of the biggest constraints to farmers because of inadequate and inefficient financial institutions in the rural areas.

14. Women play important roles as producers of food, managers of natural resources, income earners, and caretakers of household food and nutrition security but women’s access to and control over land are still confined. A study finds that men own 96% of land where women own

9the remaining 4% of land . Consequently a significant number of women farmers in Bangladesh are unable to access fertilizer, cash assistance and other government subsidies intended for

10farmers, because of the lack of land ownership .

1115. Notwithstanding the recent policy documents that set the programs for crop diversification and for development of fisheries and livestock sector, these subsectors’ growth pace is slow due to various challenges including a lack of adequate resource allocation and institutional capacity of respective government agencies, and a lack of policy incentives to encourage

12local private investors . And wide gap exists between the current productions and demands for 13milk, meat, and eggs .

16. Despite the critical importance of agriculture for increasing economic growth and ensuring food security, investment in agriculture is found to be falling much shorter than the needs.

the

08

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

Food Utilization26. To improve the food utilization status various government initiatives are in place, such as community-based nutrition programs, awareness on nutritional values, developing Food Safety and Quality Policy, and National Food Safety Emergency Response Plan. However, compared to food availability, progress in food utilization in terms of food safety and nutritional values is upsetting. Currently, about 70% of caloric needs are fulfilled by cereals (62% by rice

25alone), against a desirable maximum of 60% . Though Bangladesh has made progress in reducing underweight prevalence rates, with the exception of Khulna division, all of Bangladesh’s administrative divisions had underweight rates over 30 percent; a threshold used

26by the World Health Organization (WHO) as indicative of a ‘very high severity situation’ . In the Welfare survey 2009, the households who reported food insecurity mentioned that they manage such crisis by starving (54.3%), loan/borrowing (49.2%) and reducing favorite food (49.3%) and taking less food (39.3%) which signify poor food consumption level.

27. In a 2010 nutrition survey by Helen Keller International (HKI), BRAC University, and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 45 percent of children under five were found too short for their age group (stunted), a sign of vitamin and mineral deficiency. Six out of 10 households in Bangladesh - including some 10 million children - did not have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in 2010, according to the food security and nutrition survey

27by HKI and its Bangladeshi partners . Growth retardation, an outcome of chronic under nutrition, is widespread, affecting almost one in two of the country’s 17 million children below five years of age (Household Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (HFSNA 2009). According to Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS,2011), forty-one percent (41%) of all children younger than 5 years old suffer from stunted growth while 16 % are wasted. The combination of stunting and wasting causes thirty-six percent (36%) of all under-5 children to suffer from being underweight (BDHS 2011). It may be noted that for a country like Bangladesh, food intake quality and awareness on nutrition both are important to address malnutrition of mother and children.

28. Notwithstanding the existence of various state laws and institutions such as, Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment Act) 2005, Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute (BSTI), food safety is another major concern in Bangladesh. Punishment provisions under the Pure Food Law are minimal and cannot stop the offenders

28from continuing their illegal activities . Besides, because of the procedural hindrances, lack of accountability, lack of monitoring systems as well as the lack of awareness among the

29consumers about their rights , the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 cannot effectively ensure consumers’ right to safe food.

29. The National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 pointed out that only 64 out of 143 enlisted foods are certified. Food adulteration with poisonous chemicals has reached a dangerous proportion posing serious health hazards in the country. Basic food items on the market like rice, fish, fruits, vegetables, and sweetmeats are

30adulterated with hazardous chemicals in an indiscriminate manner .

30. The findings of a socio-economic baseline survey conducted by a non-governmental research organization in the CHT showed the acutely disadvantaged situation of the population of the CHT, and particularly that of the indigenous peoples, as compared with the rest of the

31country . The report showed, among others, that eighteen percent of the total population of the

VI. Exclusion and Vulnerability

21. Bangladesh has wide coverage of social safety net (SSN) programs to tackle the hunger of poor people. Overall coverage of households benefiting from at least one SSN increased from 13.0% of households in 2005 to 24.6% in 2010 (HIES 2010). In recent years, SSN spending has soared to a staggering US$4 Billion per annum, competing with spending in development projects under annual development plans. According to Zohir et al., close to 70 Government safety net programs are currently scattered across more than 15 different Government agencies. In addition, a vast number of programs – reaching into the thousands – are being

19operated by an extensive network of NGOs and development partners .

22. Whilst this represents substantial progress within five years, the coverage rate is still below the proportion of households that are poor. Challenges associated with the targeting, administration, monitoring and transparency of safety nets are widely discussed. Lack of coordination among the different agencies both within the government and beyond is a major constraint for improved achievement. Moreover, though the social safety nets help safeguard the food rights of millions of people, this is not implemented within a rights-based framework of entitlements, accountability and redressal.

23. To promote agricultural marketing and to improve the legal framework around agricultural price information, agribusiness and marketing, a proposed legislation titled Agribusiness Management Act (2011), is in the pipeline. These also include other initiatives to improve

20physical access to market facilities under country investment plan . However, the weak governance of the implementing Ministry and other local institutions remains one of the major

21threats to achieve this objective . Though domestic procurement program has an important role to play in providing price support and production incentives to the farmers, lack of accountability and appropriate monitoring at different tiers of the program holds back the

22efficiency of the program .

24. Although the domestic production of rice shows a surplus, the country has to depend on international markets for most other essential food items which include wheat, sugar, pulse, onion, turmeric etc. As an importing country, any changes in the policy and restrictions on the exporting countries immediately affect the domestic markets in soaring domestic prices. Moreover, global price increase also result in increasing the price in local markets as

23experienced during 2007-08 global price crisis . Due to the loss of production in some food exporting countries due to adverse weather events, experts are apprehending for the crisis like

242007-2008 , Bangladesh as an importing country is likely to be a victim of the situation, if appropriate precautionary policy measures are not taken at national and global level.

25. International Cooperation: To establish a sustainable food security regime, indigenous supply has to be the main contributor to the supply side, leaving the rest to import. But, as an economically stressed developing country, Bangladesh cannot be expected to meet the challenges of upholding the right to food on their own, especially in the wake of crop losses in years from unfavorable weather conditions. International cooperation is required in this regard both in terms of technological and financial assistance to achieve the progressive realization of the right to food in Bangladesh. On the other hand, as an importing country, Bangladesh’s food security situation is affected by the unjust trade policies and practices at global level such as trade barriers/restriction by food exporting countries, increasing alternative uses of food for the purposes like producing bio-fuels, calls for reforms in the global trade policies, and practices to ensure adequate food supply even in times of crisis.

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1110

Food Utilization26. To improve the food utilization status various government initiatives are in place, such as community-based nutrition programs, awareness on nutritional values, developing Food Safety and Quality Policy, and National Food Safety Emergency Response Plan. However, compared to food availability, progress in food utilization in terms of food safety and nutritional values is upsetting. Currently, about 70% of caloric needs are fulfilled by cereals (62% by rice

25alone), against a desirable maximum of 60% . Though Bangladesh has made progress in reducing underweight prevalence rates, with the exception of Khulna division, all of Bangladesh’s administrative divisions had underweight rates over 30 percent; a threshold used

26by the World Health Organization (WHO) as indicative of a ‘very high severity situation’ . In the Welfare survey 2009, the households who reported food insecurity mentioned that they manage such crisis by starving (54.3%), loan/borrowing (49.2%) and reducing favorite food (49.3%) and taking less food (39.3%) which signify poor food consumption level.

27. In a 2010 nutrition survey by Helen Keller International (HKI), BRAC University, and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 45 percent of children under five were found too short for their age group (stunted), a sign of vitamin and mineral deficiency. Six out of 10 households in Bangladesh - including some 10 million children - did not have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in 2010, according to the food security and nutrition survey

27by HKI and its Bangladeshi partners . Growth retardation, an outcome of chronic under nutrition, is widespread, affecting almost one in two of the country’s 17 million children below five years of age (Household Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (HFSNA 2009). According to Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS,2011), forty-one percent (41%) of all children younger than 5 years old suffer from stunted growth while 16 % are wasted. The combination of stunting and wasting causes thirty-six percent (36%) of all under-5 children to suffer from being underweight (BDHS 2011). It may be noted that for a country like Bangladesh, food intake quality and awareness on nutrition both are important to address malnutrition of mother and children.

28. Notwithstanding the existence of various state laws and institutions such as, Bangladesh Pure Food (Amendment Act) 2005, Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009, Bangladesh Standard Testing Institute (BSTI), food safety is another major concern in Bangladesh. Punishment provisions under the Pure Food Law are minimal and cannot stop the offenders

28from continuing their illegal activities . Besides, because of the procedural hindrances, lack of accountability, lack of monitoring systems as well as the lack of awareness among the

29consumers about their rights , the Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009 cannot effectively ensure consumers’ right to safe food.

29. The National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 pointed out that only 64 out of 143 enlisted foods are certified. Food adulteration with poisonous chemicals has reached a dangerous proportion posing serious health hazards in the country. Basic food items on the market like rice, fish, fruits, vegetables, and sweetmeats are

30adulterated with hazardous chemicals in an indiscriminate manner .

30. The findings of a socio-economic baseline survey conducted by a non-governmental research organization in the CHT showed the acutely disadvantaged situation of the population of the CHT, and particularly that of the indigenous peoples, as compared with the rest of the

31country . The report showed, among others, that eighteen percent of the total population of the

VI. Exclusion and Vulnerability

21. Bangladesh has wide coverage of social safety net (SSN) programs to tackle the hunger of poor people. Overall coverage of households benefiting from at least one SSN increased from 13.0% of households in 2005 to 24.6% in 2010 (HIES 2010). In recent years, SSN spending has soared to a staggering US$4 Billion per annum, competing with spending in development projects under annual development plans. According to Zohir et al., close to 70 Government safety net programs are currently scattered across more than 15 different Government agencies. In addition, a vast number of programs – reaching into the thousands – are being

19operated by an extensive network of NGOs and development partners .

22. Whilst this represents substantial progress within five years, the coverage rate is still below the proportion of households that are poor. Challenges associated with the targeting, administration, monitoring and transparency of safety nets are widely discussed. Lack of coordination among the different agencies both within the government and beyond is a major constraint for improved achievement. Moreover, though the social safety nets help safeguard the food rights of millions of people, this is not implemented within a rights-based framework of entitlements, accountability and redressal.

23. To promote agricultural marketing and to improve the legal framework around agricultural price information, agribusiness and marketing, a proposed legislation titled Agribusiness Management Act (2011), is in the pipeline. These also include other initiatives to improve

20physical access to market facilities under country investment plan . However, the weak governance of the implementing Ministry and other local institutions remains one of the major

21threats to achieve this objective . Though domestic procurement program has an important role to play in providing price support and production incentives to the farmers, lack of accountability and appropriate monitoring at different tiers of the program holds back the

22efficiency of the program .

24. Although the domestic production of rice shows a surplus, the country has to depend on international markets for most other essential food items which include wheat, sugar, pulse, onion, turmeric etc. As an importing country, any changes in the policy and restrictions on the exporting countries immediately affect the domestic markets in soaring domestic prices. Moreover, global price increase also result in increasing the price in local markets as

23experienced during 2007-08 global price crisis . Due to the loss of production in some food exporting countries due to adverse weather events, experts are apprehending for the crisis like

242007-2008 , Bangladesh as an importing country is likely to be a victim of the situation, if appropriate precautionary policy measures are not taken at national and global level.

25. International Cooperation: To establish a sustainable food security regime, indigenous supply has to be the main contributor to the supply side, leaving the rest to import. But, as an economically stressed developing country, Bangladesh cannot be expected to meet the challenges of upholding the right to food on their own, especially in the wake of crop losses in years from unfavorable weather conditions. International cooperation is required in this regard both in terms of technological and financial assistance to achieve the progressive realization of the right to food in Bangladesh. On the other hand, as an importing country, Bangladesh’s food security situation is affected by the unjust trade policies and practices at global level such as trade barriers/restriction by food exporting countries, increasing alternative uses of food for the purposes like producing bio-fuels, calls for reforms in the global trade policies, and practices to ensure adequate food supply even in times of crisis.

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1110

36. Take measures to strengthen agricultural research works with a particular focus on agro ecological peculiarities and climate resilient crop varieties;

37. Ensure a strong and frequently updated information system on agriculture, food security and nutrition for accurate projection on the need of the farmers, and for proper planning and monitoring; Strengthen the progress monitoring process by involving a multi stakeholder participatory process;

38. Ensure adequate subsidy for the agricultural inputs and strengthen the distribution system to prevent any form of irregularity in the system. Take measures to strengthen the capacity of the relevant govt. institutions such as, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and empower them to ensure timely and quality services required for the farmers; Ensure incessant initiatives on storage, agro processing, and marketing in adequate and efficient manner;

39. Scale up investment to modernize the functioning of state-run TCB, including opening up its branches in different divisions of the country and strengthen the market monitoring to stabilize the food prices;

40. Increase the financial investments in the fisheries and livestock sectors as part of comprehensive agriculture, take measures to enhance the capacity of the implementing agencies of these sectors, and update/review existing policies on the livestock sector to encourage private investment;

41. Update land use policy and ensure its proper implementation to stop using agriculture land for non-agriculture activities (urbanisation, industrialisation, setting up house, market etc) following FAO voluntary guideline on land;

42. Ensure right based approach in the development of Social Protection Strategy currently under development and adopt a unified policy on right based Social Safety Net or Social Protection programs linking with long term development programs on agriculture, food security and nutrition;

43. Consider emerging challenges affecting food security like climate change, urbanization, price volatility and financial market instability in designing and implementing food security initiatives; and ensure better coordination among the existing programs;

44. Take appropriate legal and administrative steps to ensure land rights of the indigenous people while recognizing traditional rights to land of the indigenous people living in the hill tracts or other forest areas;

45. Adopt community based nutrition programs targeting both rural and urban area following a life cycle approach and ensure that such interventions are consistent with local ecosystems and prioritize local solutions and are consistent with the objective of moving towards sustainable diets;

46. Massive awareness raising among the consumers on the food safety issues and strengthen the legal and the regulatory regime of consumer protection in the country along with strong monitoring systems; ensure better coordination between food safety inspection and enforcement agencies;

region was dependent upon farming/cultivation for their livelihood and about 22 per cent of indigenous households lost their lands. The socio-economic status of most indigenous communities in the plains, particularly in the north-western Rajshahi administrative divisions, is known generally to be even worse than that of indigenous communities in the CHT. In a recent baseline survey (2011) on the human rights situation in Bangladesh conducted by NHRC, the respondents from the indigenous communities reported that lack of equal opportunities for employment, and land disputes are major problems facing by them which indicates the

32vulnerability to food security of the indigenous people of the country .

31. Depending on the agro ecological base adversity, region based food insecurity also exists. 33Such as, early flood or flash floods affect the rice production in Haor areas. Continuous rodent

and pig attacks on crops in Chittagong Hill Tracts area and crop damage due to excessive rainfall, ban on jhum (shifting) crop cultivation, erode the access to food and income of the

34region . Food Security Strategies of The People Living in Haor Areas: Status and Prospects (October 2010) explored that over two-fifths of the survey households suffered from normal food insecurity, about one-third from moderate food insecurity and near one-fifth from severe food insecurity. Such vulnerable situations require special attention and priority consideration for victims of natural disasters, people living in disaster-prone areas and other specially disadvantaged groups.

32. There are quite a large number of policy instruments related to agriculture, food security and rural development (Annex VIII). While these documents are complementary to each other, in some cases they contradict each other. In some cases, there are repetitions of the same policies too. Besides, due to the involvement of multiple ministries, lack of coordination hinders

35the effective progress . The NFP, PoA and CIP could provide pathway both for a unifying policy framework and a coordinating institutional mechanism. Election manifesto of present elected government of Bangladesh covers a range of indicators, though at the implementation level progress are limited. As a SAARC Country, Bangladesh is also responsible to deliver on SDGs, besides MDGs targets.

33. CIP, as a five-year investment plan made for food and agriculture for Bangladesh, does not carry any major discrepancy in terms of policy, planning and strategies between these documents is fully mainstreamed into the 6th Five Year Plan. However, a greater degree of inconsistencies are found at the implementation level (Annex IX, Review of Bangladesh Country Investment Plan (CIP): Issues and Challenges). The National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 reveals slow and uneven implementation progress, as indicated by a delivery of just 51% of the budget available for the financial year 2010/11, but impressive increase of the funding of food security and nutrition investments (+ 2.2 Billion USD in 2010/11 for a total of 5.2 billion financed).

34. Adopt a legal framework on right to food, and introduce right based approach to programming on food security for progressive realization of the right to adequate food;

35. Adopt National Agriculture Policy with necessary revisions for ensuring coherence with all agriculture and food security and nutrition policy framework and ensure coherence and efficient coordination among all the relevant implementing agencies;

VII. Policy coherence and implementation progress

VIII. Recommendations

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1312

36. Take measures to strengthen agricultural research works with a particular focus on agro ecological peculiarities and climate resilient crop varieties;

37. Ensure a strong and frequently updated information system on agriculture, food security and nutrition for accurate projection on the need of the farmers, and for proper planning and monitoring; Strengthen the progress monitoring process by involving a multi stakeholder participatory process;

38. Ensure adequate subsidy for the agricultural inputs and strengthen the distribution system to prevent any form of irregularity in the system. Take measures to strengthen the capacity of the relevant govt. institutions such as, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and empower them to ensure timely and quality services required for the farmers; Ensure incessant initiatives on storage, agro processing, and marketing in adequate and efficient manner;

39. Scale up investment to modernize the functioning of state-run TCB, including opening up its branches in different divisions of the country and strengthen the market monitoring to stabilize the food prices;

40. Increase the financial investments in the fisheries and livestock sectors as part of comprehensive agriculture, take measures to enhance the capacity of the implementing agencies of these sectors, and update/review existing policies on the livestock sector to encourage private investment;

41. Update land use policy and ensure its proper implementation to stop using agriculture land for non-agriculture activities (urbanisation, industrialisation, setting up house, market etc) following FAO voluntary guideline on land;

42. Ensure right based approach in the development of Social Protection Strategy currently under development and adopt a unified policy on right based Social Safety Net or Social Protection programs linking with long term development programs on agriculture, food security and nutrition;

43. Consider emerging challenges affecting food security like climate change, urbanization, price volatility and financial market instability in designing and implementing food security initiatives; and ensure better coordination among the existing programs;

44. Take appropriate legal and administrative steps to ensure land rights of the indigenous people while recognizing traditional rights to land of the indigenous people living in the hill tracts or other forest areas;

45. Adopt community based nutrition programs targeting both rural and urban area following a life cycle approach and ensure that such interventions are consistent with local ecosystems and prioritize local solutions and are consistent with the objective of moving towards sustainable diets;

46. Massive awareness raising among the consumers on the food safety issues and strengthen the legal and the regulatory regime of consumer protection in the country along with strong monitoring systems; ensure better coordination between food safety inspection and enforcement agencies;

region was dependent upon farming/cultivation for their livelihood and about 22 per cent of indigenous households lost their lands. The socio-economic status of most indigenous communities in the plains, particularly in the north-western Rajshahi administrative divisions, is known generally to be even worse than that of indigenous communities in the CHT. In a recent baseline survey (2011) on the human rights situation in Bangladesh conducted by NHRC, the respondents from the indigenous communities reported that lack of equal opportunities for employment, and land disputes are major problems facing by them which indicates the

32vulnerability to food security of the indigenous people of the country .

31. Depending on the agro ecological base adversity, region based food insecurity also exists. 33Such as, early flood or flash floods affect the rice production in Haor areas. Continuous rodent

and pig attacks on crops in Chittagong Hill Tracts area and crop damage due to excessive rainfall, ban on jhum (shifting) crop cultivation, erode the access to food and income of the

34region . Food Security Strategies of The People Living in Haor Areas: Status and Prospects (October 2010) explored that over two-fifths of the survey households suffered from normal food insecurity, about one-third from moderate food insecurity and near one-fifth from severe food insecurity. Such vulnerable situations require special attention and priority consideration for victims of natural disasters, people living in disaster-prone areas and other specially disadvantaged groups.

32. There are quite a large number of policy instruments related to agriculture, food security and rural development (Annex VIII). While these documents are complementary to each other, in some cases they contradict each other. In some cases, there are repetitions of the same policies too. Besides, due to the involvement of multiple ministries, lack of coordination hinders

35the effective progress . The NFP, PoA and CIP could provide pathway both for a unifying policy framework and a coordinating institutional mechanism. Election manifesto of present elected government of Bangladesh covers a range of indicators, though at the implementation level progress are limited. As a SAARC Country, Bangladesh is also responsible to deliver on SDGs, besides MDGs targets.

33. CIP, as a five-year investment plan made for food and agriculture for Bangladesh, does not carry any major discrepancy in terms of policy, planning and strategies between these documents is fully mainstreamed into the 6th Five Year Plan. However, a greater degree of inconsistencies are found at the implementation level (Annex IX, Review of Bangladesh Country Investment Plan (CIP): Issues and Challenges). The National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 reveals slow and uneven implementation progress, as indicated by a delivery of just 51% of the budget available for the financial year 2010/11, but impressive increase of the funding of food security and nutrition investments (+ 2.2 Billion USD in 2010/11 for a total of 5.2 billion financed).

34. Adopt a legal framework on right to food, and introduce right based approach to programming on food security for progressive realization of the right to adequate food;

35. Adopt National Agriculture Policy with necessary revisions for ensuring coherence with all agriculture and food security and nutrition policy framework and ensure coherence and efficient coordination among all the relevant implementing agencies;

VII. Policy coherence and implementation progress

VIII. Recommendations

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1312

47. Submit long due initial and periodic report on ICESCR to the Committee on ICESCR and take measures to implement the recommendations of the Committee; Complying with CEDAW obligations, take legal, administrative measures to end discrimination against women and ensure women’s equal rights(right to land and other economic property);

48. Secure pro farmers position in negotiation in WTO to protect the rights of the small and marginalized farmers as far as agriculture is concerned; and takes effective measures that agriculture products get the duty free and quota free market access to the international markets;

49. Take effective steps to set up regional and international virtual food banks with the commitments of food availability to countries stressed by food insecurity and furthering the process of making such arrangement operational, in cases where such arrangement has already been made, for example, SAARC Food Bank.

50. Include the food security concerns in the agriculture related trade negotiations from a food security perspective; introduce new rules and disciplines to prevent export restrictions/barriers by food exporting countries and ensure continuing food exports to the Least Developed Countries(LDCs) at affordable prices even during the crisis period;

51. Increase Official Development Assistance (ODA) and ensure that developed countries/development partners realize their commitments of ODA for the development of agriculture and food security. This can be followed up under MDGs Framework and upcoming Post 2015 process besides ongoing process like CoP.

1 Oxfam GB is an international NGO based in UK (www.oxfam.org.uk), Bangladesh country office works on various issues including food security. Oxfam launched a global campaign named GROW in 2011. As one of the Focus Country, OGB Bangladesh organized consultation on food security situations as a part of it’s national campaign.

2 CSRL is a national alliance of approximately 250 local and national civil society organizations and networks launched in 2007, facilitated by Oxfam GB in Bangladesh.

3 Among other individuals and organizations, WAVE Foundation, VSO Bangladesh, Inner Power, Institute for Environment and Development (IED), ActionAid Bangladesh, INCIDIN Bangladesh, IFSN, SUPRO, BLAST, Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP), Angikar Bangladesh, Campaign for Right to Food and Social Security and UNDP Bangladesh have been consulted throughout the report preparation process.

4 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page 10.5 Quasem, M A. (2011) Conversion of Agricultural Land to Non-agricultural Uses in Bangladesh: Extents and

Determinants Bangladesh Development Studies, Vol. XXXIV, March No.1.6 According to Population and Housing Census 2011: as on 15 March 2011, total population of Bangladesh is 14, 97,

72,364 and project population on 16 July 2012 is 15, 25, 18,015. Population growth rate is 1.37%7 Bangladesh Rice Farmers Demand Higher Purchase Price for New Crop Boro Paddy( Oryza News on May 22,2012)/

The Daily Star, 14 September 20128 A Quantitative Analysis of Fertilizer Demand and Subsidy Policy in Bangladesh( Manob Sakti Unnayan Kendro),

December 20109 A Masud Ali, AKM Mustaque Ali Ratan Sarkar(2005),Agrarian living beyond corporate cage: Peasant’s paper on

trade and Globalization; INCIDIN Bangladesh, Dhaka.

End Notes

10 http://www.irinnews.org/Report/93851/BANGLADESH-Bureaucratic-hitch-leaves-women-farmers-high-and-dry: The problem, according to Sharmind Neelormi, an associate economics professor at Jahangir Nagar University in Dhaka who has studied gender trends in farming, and others, is that the Agriculture Input Assistance Card (AIAC) programme requires eligible cardholders to own land

11 Country Investment Plan for Fisheries Development(2010-2015), Road Map to Country Investment Plan for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition with Proper Livestock Resource management

12 National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 201213 Zahurul Karim, Khan Shahidul Huque, Md. Golam Hussain, Zulfiqar Ali, and Mosharraf Hossain, Growth and

Development Potential of Livestock and Fisheries in Bangladesh, Prepared for the Bangladesh Food Security Investment Forum May 2010: A comparison of projected supply and demand shows that there will be a shortfall of about 1 million metric tons (mt) of fish in 2015 under a high-demand growth scenario

14 Zhang, X., S. Rashid, K. Ahmad, V. Muller, H. Lemma, S. Belal and A. Ahmed (2012) Rising Wages and Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh, Background paper prepared for the World Bank Poverty Assessment Report on Bangladesh, IFPRI

15 MDGs Bangladesh progress report 2011, page 1716 AAM Badrul Hasan and Sharifa Khan,(2011), Food Security of the Net Food Importing Developing Countries(NFDIS)

in the context of WTO Negotiations.17 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page no.21/ Based on the BBS HIES

2010.18 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 201219 http://www.nfpcsp.org/agridrupal/sites/default/files/Working%20together%20for%20better%20safety.pdf20 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page no.5521 Oxfam Publication: A review of Bangladesh Country Investment(CIP): Issues and Challenges.22 The Bangladesh Development Studies, Vol. XXXIII, March-June 2010, Nos. 1 & 2, The Right to Food: Bangladesh

Perspectives, QUAZI SHAHABUDDIN* P. 11723 BIDS Policy Brief, Input Prices, Subsidies and Farmers' Incentives, M. Asaduzzaman, Quazi Shahabuddin, Uttam

Kumar Deb and Steve Jones( May 2009): In 2007 and 2008, Bangladesh experienced unprecedented rises and sharp falls in the prices of oil, fertilizer and food. A striking feature of this volatility was that while prices took many months to build up to their peaks in mid-2008, the downturn was very rapid, with prices tumbling by the end of 2008.

24 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-1919339025 National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, p-1626 MDGs Bangladesh Progress Report 2011, page 2127 DHAKA, 22 December 2011 (IRIN)28 Anika Hossain,What Your Children Eat,A weekly Publication of the Daily Star, Vol 14, Issue 796, September 28,201229 http://lawlib.wlu.edu/lexopus/works/297-1.pdf30 Thursday, Aug 11, 2011/ The Daily Star/Asia News Network31 Country Technical Notes on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues: BANGLADESH, Submitted by: Raja Devasish Roy Date:

March 2010/ Human Development Research Centre (Abul Barkat et al), Socio-economic Baseline Survey of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility, UNDP, Bangladesh, IDB Bhaban, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, 2009.

32 Food Policy Action Plan Monitoring Report 2012, p.1933 Haor is a bowl shape seasonal wetland with perennial water bodies found in North East Bangladesh and Indian State

Assam and Tripura34 Bangladesh Food Security Monitoring Bulletin, Issue No.8, Jan-Mar 201235 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (2009), Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood.

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1514

47. Submit long due initial and periodic report on ICESCR to the Committee on ICESCR and take measures to implement the recommendations of the Committee; Complying with CEDAW obligations, take legal, administrative measures to end discrimination against women and ensure women’s equal rights(right to land and other economic property);

48. Secure pro farmers position in negotiation in WTO to protect the rights of the small and marginalized farmers as far as agriculture is concerned; and takes effective measures that agriculture products get the duty free and quota free market access to the international markets;

49. Take effective steps to set up regional and international virtual food banks with the commitments of food availability to countries stressed by food insecurity and furthering the process of making such arrangement operational, in cases where such arrangement has already been made, for example, SAARC Food Bank.

50. Include the food security concerns in the agriculture related trade negotiations from a food security perspective; introduce new rules and disciplines to prevent export restrictions/barriers by food exporting countries and ensure continuing food exports to the Least Developed Countries(LDCs) at affordable prices even during the crisis period;

51. Increase Official Development Assistance (ODA) and ensure that developed countries/development partners realize their commitments of ODA for the development of agriculture and food security. This can be followed up under MDGs Framework and upcoming Post 2015 process besides ongoing process like CoP.

1 Oxfam GB is an international NGO based in UK (www.oxfam.org.uk), Bangladesh country office works on various issues including food security. Oxfam launched a global campaign named GROW in 2011. As one of the Focus Country, OGB Bangladesh organized consultation on food security situations as a part of it’s national campaign.

2 CSRL is a national alliance of approximately 250 local and national civil society organizations and networks launched in 2007, facilitated by Oxfam GB in Bangladesh.

3 Among other individuals and organizations, WAVE Foundation, VSO Bangladesh, Inner Power, Institute for Environment and Development (IED), ActionAid Bangladesh, INCIDIN Bangladesh, IFSN, SUPRO, BLAST, Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP), Angikar Bangladesh, Campaign for Right to Food and Social Security and UNDP Bangladesh have been consulted throughout the report preparation process.

4 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page 10.5 Quasem, M A. (2011) Conversion of Agricultural Land to Non-agricultural Uses in Bangladesh: Extents and

Determinants Bangladesh Development Studies, Vol. XXXIV, March No.1.6 According to Population and Housing Census 2011: as on 15 March 2011, total population of Bangladesh is 14, 97,

72,364 and project population on 16 July 2012 is 15, 25, 18,015. Population growth rate is 1.37%7 Bangladesh Rice Farmers Demand Higher Purchase Price for New Crop Boro Paddy( Oryza News on May 22,2012)/

The Daily Star, 14 September 20128 A Quantitative Analysis of Fertilizer Demand and Subsidy Policy in Bangladesh( Manob Sakti Unnayan Kendro),

December 20109 A Masud Ali, AKM Mustaque Ali Ratan Sarkar(2005),Agrarian living beyond corporate cage: Peasant’s paper on

trade and Globalization; INCIDIN Bangladesh, Dhaka.

End Notes

10 http://www.irinnews.org/Report/93851/BANGLADESH-Bureaucratic-hitch-leaves-women-farmers-high-and-dry: The problem, according to Sharmind Neelormi, an associate economics professor at Jahangir Nagar University in Dhaka who has studied gender trends in farming, and others, is that the Agriculture Input Assistance Card (AIAC) programme requires eligible cardholders to own land

11 Country Investment Plan for Fisheries Development(2010-2015), Road Map to Country Investment Plan for Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition with Proper Livestock Resource management

12 National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 201213 Zahurul Karim, Khan Shahidul Huque, Md. Golam Hussain, Zulfiqar Ali, and Mosharraf Hossain, Growth and

Development Potential of Livestock and Fisheries in Bangladesh, Prepared for the Bangladesh Food Security Investment Forum May 2010: A comparison of projected supply and demand shows that there will be a shortfall of about 1 million metric tons (mt) of fish in 2015 under a high-demand growth scenario

14 Zhang, X., S. Rashid, K. Ahmad, V. Muller, H. Lemma, S. Belal and A. Ahmed (2012) Rising Wages and Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh, Background paper prepared for the World Bank Poverty Assessment Report on Bangladesh, IFPRI

15 MDGs Bangladesh progress report 2011, page 1716 AAM Badrul Hasan and Sharifa Khan,(2011), Food Security of the Net Food Importing Developing Countries(NFDIS)

in the context of WTO Negotiations.17 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page no.21/ Based on the BBS HIES

2010.18 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 201219 http://www.nfpcsp.org/agridrupal/sites/default/files/Working%20together%20for%20better%20safety.pdf20 Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page no.5521 Oxfam Publication: A review of Bangladesh Country Investment(CIP): Issues and Challenges.22 The Bangladesh Development Studies, Vol. XXXIII, March-June 2010, Nos. 1 & 2, The Right to Food: Bangladesh

Perspectives, QUAZI SHAHABUDDIN* P. 11723 BIDS Policy Brief, Input Prices, Subsidies and Farmers' Incentives, M. Asaduzzaman, Quazi Shahabuddin, Uttam

Kumar Deb and Steve Jones( May 2009): In 2007 and 2008, Bangladesh experienced unprecedented rises and sharp falls in the prices of oil, fertilizer and food. A striking feature of this volatility was that while prices took many months to build up to their peaks in mid-2008, the downturn was very rapid, with prices tumbling by the end of 2008.

24 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-1919339025 National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, p-1626 MDGs Bangladesh Progress Report 2011, page 2127 DHAKA, 22 December 2011 (IRIN)28 Anika Hossain,What Your Children Eat,A weekly Publication of the Daily Star, Vol 14, Issue 796, September 28,201229 http://lawlib.wlu.edu/lexopus/works/297-1.pdf30 Thursday, Aug 11, 2011/ The Daily Star/Asia News Network31 Country Technical Notes on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues: BANGLADESH, Submitted by: Raja Devasish Roy Date:

March 2010/ Human Development Research Centre (Abul Barkat et al), Socio-economic Baseline Survey of Chittagong Hill Tracts, Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Facility, UNDP, Bangladesh, IDB Bhaban, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, 2009.

32 Food Policy Action Plan Monitoring Report 2012, p.1933 Haor is a bowl shape seasonal wetland with perennial water bodies found in North East Bangladesh and Indian State

Assam and Tripura34 Bangladesh Food Security Monitoring Bulletin, Issue No.8, Jan-Mar 201235 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (2009), Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood.

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1514

Annex 1

Campaign for Sustainable and Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) Bangladesh: Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) is an alliance of 250 local-national-international development and civil society organizations, active in Bangladesh. Formed in September 2007, CSRL aims to ensure sustainable rural livelihoods in Bangladesh by focusing on agriculture, climate change and trade policies and practices. Besides performing at local and national level, this alliance is now also playing a significant role at the international level for protecting the public interest of Bangladesh.

Oxfam: Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations networked together in more than 90 countries, as part of a global movement for change, to build a future free from the injustice of poverty.

Oxfam’s involvement in Bangladesh began with Oxfam GB’s assistance to the refugees during the 1971 war for Bangladesh’s independence.

This stakeholders’ report has been drafted by the Secretariat of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood with the inputs from CSRL partners and Steering Committee Members.

Annex II

Description of CSRL and Oxfam

Ratification of core human rights treaties

Declarations: Article 10 (rights

during loss of liberty), Article

11(Imprisonment for inability to

fulfill contractual obligation), Article

14 (no trial in absentia):

Reservation: Article 14 (no trial in

absentia)

Article 1 (right to self-

determination):

Articles 2 (realization of rights) and

3 (gender equality):

Articles 7 (conditions of work) and

8 (trade union rights):

Articles 10 (family rights) and 13

(right to education):

International Covenant on Civil

and Political Rights (ICCPR)

Optional Protocol to ICCPR

(individual complaints procedure)

Second Optional Protocol to

ICCPR (abolishing the death

penalty)

International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights (ICESCR)

6 September 2000 (a)

-

-

5 October 1998 (a)

Reservationsand Declarations

Human Rights TreatyRatification/

Accession (a)

Reservationsand Declarations

Human Rights TreatyRatification/

Accession (a)

Acceptance of amendment to art. 8

(6): Receipt of declaration on art. 14

Reservation: Article 14 Para 1

Receipt of declaration on art. 22

Reservation: Articles 2, [...] and 16

(1) (c)

Article 2- Principle of non

discrimination and elimination of

discrimination against women

Articles 2 16 (1) (c)- Elimination of

discrimination against women in all

matters relating to marriage and

family relations, in particular the

same rights and responsibilities

during marriage and its dissolution.

Declaration:

Article 10 (1) thereof that it would

not undertake the obligations

arising out of articles 8 and 9 of the

said Optional Protocol.

Reservations:

Article 14 (freedom of thought,

conscience and religion):

“[The Government of Bangladesh]

ratifies the Convention with a

reservation to article 14, paragraph

1.

Optional Protocol to the

International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights

New York, 10 December 2008

Not yet in force

International Convention on the

Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination (ICERD)

Declaration under art.14, ICERD

allowing for individual complaints

Convention against Torture and

other Cruel, Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or

Punishment (CAT)

Declaration under art.22 CAT

allowing for individual complaints

Optional Protocol to CAT

(allowing in-country inspections of

places of detention)

Convention on the Elimination of

All Forms of Discrimination

against Women (CEDAW)

Optional Protocol to CEDAW

allowing for individual complaints

Convention on the Rights of the

Child (CRC)

-

11 June 1979 (a)

5 October 1998 (a)

6 November 1984 (a)

6 September 2000

3 August 1990

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1716

Annex 1

Campaign for Sustainable and Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) Bangladesh: Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) is an alliance of 250 local-national-international development and civil society organizations, active in Bangladesh. Formed in September 2007, CSRL aims to ensure sustainable rural livelihoods in Bangladesh by focusing on agriculture, climate change and trade policies and practices. Besides performing at local and national level, this alliance is now also playing a significant role at the international level for protecting the public interest of Bangladesh.

Oxfam: Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations networked together in more than 90 countries, as part of a global movement for change, to build a future free from the injustice of poverty.

Oxfam’s involvement in Bangladesh began with Oxfam GB’s assistance to the refugees during the 1971 war for Bangladesh’s independence.

This stakeholders’ report has been drafted by the Secretariat of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihood with the inputs from CSRL partners and Steering Committee Members.

Annex II

Description of CSRL and Oxfam

Ratification of core human rights treaties

Declarations: Article 10 (rights

during loss of liberty), Article

11(Imprisonment for inability to

fulfill contractual obligation), Article

14 (no trial in absentia):

Reservation: Article 14 (no trial in

absentia)

Article 1 (right to self-

determination):

Articles 2 (realization of rights) and

3 (gender equality):

Articles 7 (conditions of work) and

8 (trade union rights):

Articles 10 (family rights) and 13

(right to education):

International Covenant on Civil

and Political Rights (ICCPR)

Optional Protocol to ICCPR

(individual complaints procedure)

Second Optional Protocol to

ICCPR (abolishing the death

penalty)

International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights (ICESCR)

6 September 2000 (a)

-

-

5 October 1998 (a)

Reservationsand Declarations

Human Rights TreatyRatification/

Accession (a)

Reservationsand Declarations

Human Rights TreatyRatification/

Accession (a)

Acceptance of amendment to art. 8

(6): Receipt of declaration on art. 14

Reservation: Article 14 Para 1

Receipt of declaration on art. 22

Reservation: Articles 2, [...] and 16

(1) (c)

Article 2- Principle of non

discrimination and elimination of

discrimination against women

Articles 2 16 (1) (c)- Elimination of

discrimination against women in all

matters relating to marriage and

family relations, in particular the

same rights and responsibilities

during marriage and its dissolution.

Declaration:

Article 10 (1) thereof that it would

not undertake the obligations

arising out of articles 8 and 9 of the

said Optional Protocol.

Reservations:

Article 14 (freedom of thought,

conscience and religion):

“[The Government of Bangladesh]

ratifies the Convention with a

reservation to article 14, paragraph

1.

Optional Protocol to the

International Covenant on

Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights

New York, 10 December 2008

Not yet in force

International Convention on the

Elimination of All Forms of Racial

Discrimination (ICERD)

Declaration under art.14, ICERD

allowing for individual complaints

Convention against Torture and

other Cruel, Inhuman or

Degrading Treatment or

Punishment (CAT)

Declaration under art.22 CAT

allowing for individual complaints

Optional Protocol to CAT

(allowing in-country inspections of

places of detention)

Convention on the Elimination of

All Forms of Discrimination

against Women (CEDAW)

Optional Protocol to CEDAW

allowing for individual complaints

Convention on the Rights of the

Child (CRC)

-

11 June 1979 (a)

5 October 1998 (a)

6 November 1984 (a)

6 September 2000

3 August 1990

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1716

Lower Poverty Line

National

31.5

40.0

Urban

21.3

28.4

Rural

35.2

43.8

National

17.6

25.1

Urban

7.7

14.6

Rural

21.1

28.6

Annex IV

Ministry wise budget allocation for agriculture and rural development (combined of development and non development allocation)

Table 3

Ministry/ FY

Agriculture

Ministry of fishery and animal

resources

Ministry of water resources

Rural development and

cooperative division

FY 2012-13

8,911

948

2,892

1,112

FY 2011-12

(revised)

9,260

931

2,261

1,047

FY2011-12

7,406

977

2,228

802

FY2010-11

8,438

774

2,040

630

Table 4: Agricultural subsidy during the five fiscal years (in Crore Taka)

Fiscal Year

Agriculture subsidy

Total Subsidy

Agriculture subsidy

as % of total subsidy

FY 2007-08

2250

4200

54

FY 2008-09

4285

6717

64

FY 2009-10

3600

6989

52

FY 2010-11

4006

7662

52

FY 2011-12

4500

9286

48

Source: Ministry of Finance (MoF)-http://www.mof.gov.bd

Annex V

Head Count Rates of Incidence of Poverty (CBN Method), 2005-2010

2010

2005

Upper Poverty LineYears of HIES

Using data of HIES 2010

Subsidy trend in last 2 fiscal years

FY

2012-13

2011-12(revised)

2011-12

Amount

TK. 6,000 crore Taka

TK. 6,500 crore Taka

TK. 4500 Crore Taka

Source: budget statements

Annex III

Structure of distribution of agricultural land holding (1983-2008)

Items

Distribution of farm holdings by size:

Small (<1.0 ha)

Medium (1.0-3.0 ha)

Large (>3.0 ha )

Source: BBS Census of Agriculture 2008, National Series, Volume 1/ Food Action Plan Monitoring Report 2012

1983-84

70.3%

24.7%

4.9%

1996

80.0%

17.6%

2.5%

2008

84.2%

14.2%

1.6%

Article 21 (adoption): Also article

21 would apply subject to the

existing laws and practices in

Bangladesh.”

“

Optional Protocol to CRC on the

involvement of children in armed

conflict

Optional Protocol to CRC on the

sale of children, child prostitution

and child pornography

International Convention on the

Protection of the Rights of All

Migrant Workers and members of

Their Families (CMW)

Declaration under art.77 CMW

allowing for individual complaints

Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities

New York, 13 December 2006

Optional Protocol to the

Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities

New York, 13 December 2006

International Convention for the

Protection of All Persons from

Enforced Disappearance

New York, 20 December 2006

6 September 2000

6 September 2000

24 August 2011

9 May 2007(S)

30 November 2007(R)

12 May 2008(a)

-

Reservationsand Declarations

Human Rights TreatyRatification/

Accession (a)

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1918

Lower Poverty Line

National

31.5

40.0

Urban

21.3

28.4

Rural

35.2

43.8

National

17.6

25.1

Urban

7.7

14.6

Rural

21.1

28.6

Annex IV

Ministry wise budget allocation for agriculture and rural development (combined of development and non development allocation)

Table 3

Ministry/ FY

Agriculture

Ministry of fishery and animal

resources

Ministry of water resources

Rural development and

cooperative division

FY 2012-13

8,911

948

2,892

1,112

FY 2011-12

(revised)

9,260

931

2,261

1,047

FY2011-12

7,406

977

2,228

802

FY2010-11

8,438

774

2,040

630

Table 4: Agricultural subsidy during the five fiscal years (in Crore Taka)

Fiscal Year

Agriculture subsidy

Total Subsidy

Agriculture subsidy

as % of total subsidy

FY 2007-08

2250

4200

54

FY 2008-09

4285

6717

64

FY 2009-10

3600

6989

52

FY 2010-11

4006

7662

52

FY 2011-12

4500

9286

48

Source: Ministry of Finance (MoF)-http://www.mof.gov.bd

Annex V

Head Count Rates of Incidence of Poverty (CBN Method), 2005-2010

2010

2005

Upper Poverty LineYears of HIES

Using data of HIES 2010

Subsidy trend in last 2 fiscal years

FY

2012-13

2011-12(revised)

2011-12

Amount

TK. 6,000 crore Taka

TK. 6,500 crore Taka

TK. 4500 Crore Taka

Source: budget statements

Annex III

Structure of distribution of agricultural land holding (1983-2008)

Items

Distribution of farm holdings by size:

Small (<1.0 ha)

Medium (1.0-3.0 ha)

Large (>3.0 ha )

Source: BBS Census of Agriculture 2008, National Series, Volume 1/ Food Action Plan Monitoring Report 2012

1983-84

70.3%

24.7%

4.9%

1996

80.0%

17.6%

2.5%

2008

84.2%

14.2%

1.6%

Article 21 (adoption): Also article

21 would apply subject to the

existing laws and practices in

Bangladesh.”

“

Optional Protocol to CRC on the

involvement of children in armed

conflict

Optional Protocol to CRC on the

sale of children, child prostitution

and child pornography

International Convention on the

Protection of the Rights of All

Migrant Workers and members of

Their Families (CMW)

Declaration under art.77 CMW

allowing for individual complaints

Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities

New York, 13 December 2006

Optional Protocol to the

Convention on the Rights of

Persons with Disabilities

New York, 13 December 2006

International Convention for the

Protection of All Persons from

Enforced Disappearance

New York, 20 December 2006

6 September 2000

6 September 2000

24 August 2011

9 May 2007(S)

30 November 2007(R)

12 May 2008(a)

-

Reservationsand Declarations

Human Rights TreatyRatification/

Accession (a)

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

1918

Annex IXPolicy Consistency Matrix

Food

production

Highly stressed

to achieve self-

sufficiency in

food

production by

the year 2015

Highly stressed

to achieve self-

sufficiency in

food

production by

2015

Zero

dependency

on food

import

The two budgets

lack consistency.

The goals are not

clear. In the budget

of FY 2010-11, it was

announced that self-

sufficiency on food

production will be

achieved by 2012;

the budget of the

current fiscal said

that self-sufficiency

on food will be

achieved by 2013.

Inconsistency

between short

and long term

policy and plan

strategies may

weaken the

goal of

achieving food

self-sufficiency

in the country

within a

stipulated time.

Food Insecurity by Geographic and Gender Status (percent)

Annex VI

National

Area

Division

Sex of household head

Average

Rural

Urban

Barisal

Chittagong

Dhaka

Khulna

Rajshahi

Sylhet

Male

Female

25

27

17

26

25

20

25

31

24

23

38

Source: BHFSNA 2008-09, WFP, UNICEF, IPHN/ MDGs Bangladesh Progress Report 2011(table 1.6)

Annex VIII

Policies related to agriculture

Crops Sub-sector

1. National Agricultural Policy (NAP) 1999

2. New Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP) 1996

3. DAE Strategy Plan 1999-2002

4. Agricultural Extension Manual 1999

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Crops Sub-sector

5. Seed Policy 1993

6. Seed Law 1997

7. Co-ordinated Pest Management Policy 2002

8. National Agricultural Work Plan

9. Effective Policy Brief 2004

10. National Jute Policy 2002

Non-Crop Sub-sector

11. National Livestock Policy and Work Plan 2005

12. National Fisheries Policy and Action Plan 1998

13. National Forest Policy 1994

Cross-Cutting Policies

14. National Land Use Policy

15. National Water Policy

16. Environment Policy 1992 and Implementation

Programme

17. National Food Policy 2006

18. National Rural Development Policy 2001

19. Agriculture and Rural Development parts (2008) of

Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper-2 (2009-2011)

20. Export Import Policy 2006-2009

21. National Economic Policies

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Ministry of Jute

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Ministry of Forest and Environment

Ministry of Land

Water Resources Ministry

Ministry of Forest and Environment

Food Ministry

Rural Development and Cooperative

Ministry

Planning Commission, Planning

Ministry

Commerce Ministry

Ministry of Finance

Source: Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, Ministry of Commerce,09 March 2011

Annex VII

Average price of some essential food items price/kg

Item

1

Rice(Coarse)

Wheat Flour

Soya bin Oil

Pulm Oil

Pulse(Lentil)

Sugar

Potato

Onion

Milk Powder

Salt

Price

11.01.2006

2

17.50

19.50

50.50

40.50

48.00

47.50

14.50

20.00

293.00

12

Price

11.01.2007

3

18.50

25.50

65.00

51.00

65.00

36.50

13.00

18.00

347.00

13

Price

9.03.2011

4

34.00

31.00

105.00

94.00

72.00

57.00

8.00

20.00

420.00

15

% of change

between 2006

& 2011

5

83.78

21.57

61.54

84.31

10.77

56.16

-38.46

11.11

21.04

15.38

% of change

between 2007

& 11

6

94.29

58.97

107.92

132.10

50.00

20.00

-44.83

0.00

43.34

25.00

Policy Ministry

Policy Ministry

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

2120

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Annex IXPolicy Consistency Matrix

Food

production

Highly stressed

to achieve self-

sufficiency in

food

production by

the year 2015

Highly stressed

to achieve self-

sufficiency in

food

production by

2015

Zero

dependency

on food

import

The two budgets

lack consistency.

The goals are not

clear. In the budget

of FY 2010-11, it was

announced that self-

sufficiency on food

production will be

achieved by 2012;

the budget of the

current fiscal said

that self-sufficiency

on food will be

achieved by 2013.

Inconsistency

between short

and long term

policy and plan

strategies may

weaken the

goal of

achieving food

self-sufficiency

in the country

within a

stipulated time.

Food Insecurity by Geographic and Gender Status (percent)

Annex VI

National

Area

Division

Sex of household head

Average

Rural

Urban

Barisal

Chittagong

Dhaka

Khulna

Rajshahi

Sylhet

Male

Female

25

27

17

26

25

20

25

31

24

23

38

Source: BHFSNA 2008-09, WFP, UNICEF, IPHN/ MDGs Bangladesh Progress Report 2011(table 1.6)

Annex VIII

Policies related to agriculture

Crops Sub-sector

1. National Agricultural Policy (NAP) 1999

2. New Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP) 1996

3. DAE Strategy Plan 1999-2002

4. Agricultural Extension Manual 1999

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Crops Sub-sector

5. Seed Policy 1993

6. Seed Law 1997

7. Co-ordinated Pest Management Policy 2002

8. National Agricultural Work Plan

9. Effective Policy Brief 2004

10. National Jute Policy 2002

Non-Crop Sub-sector

11. National Livestock Policy and Work Plan 2005

12. National Fisheries Policy and Action Plan 1998

13. National Forest Policy 1994

Cross-Cutting Policies

14. National Land Use Policy

15. National Water Policy

16. Environment Policy 1992 and Implementation

Programme

17. National Food Policy 2006

18. National Rural Development Policy 2001

19. Agriculture and Rural Development parts (2008) of

Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper-2 (2009-2011)

20. Export Import Policy 2006-2009

21. National Economic Policies

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Agricultural Ministry

Ministry of Jute

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Ministry of Forest and Environment

Ministry of Land

Water Resources Ministry

Ministry of Forest and Environment

Food Ministry

Rural Development and Cooperative

Ministry

Planning Commission, Planning

Ministry

Commerce Ministry

Ministry of Finance

Source: Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, Ministry of Commerce,09 March 2011

Annex VII

Average price of some essential food items price/kg

Item

1

Rice(Coarse)

Wheat Flour

Soya bin Oil

Pulm Oil

Pulse(Lentil)

Sugar

Potato

Onion

Milk Powder

Salt

Price

11.01.2006

2

17.50

19.50

50.50

40.50

48.00

47.50

14.50

20.00

293.00

12

Price

11.01.2007

3

18.50

25.50

65.00

51.00

65.00

36.50

13.00

18.00

347.00

13

Price

9.03.2011

4

34.00

31.00

105.00

94.00

72.00

57.00

8.00

20.00

420.00

15

% of change

between 2006

& 2011

5

83.78

21.57

61.54

84.31

10.77

56.16

-38.46

11.11

21.04

15.38

% of change

between 2007

& 11

6

94.29

58.97

107.92

132.10

50.00

20.00

-44.83

0.00

43.34

25.00

Policy Ministry

Policy Ministry

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

2120

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Agriculture

research and

extension

Impacts of

climate change

on agriculture

production

Productivity

and technology

Regional

intervention

Investment on

R&D Stressed

Highly stressed

Highly stressed

Coastal zone,

Sylhet & chars

in the monga

affected areas

got priority in

crop sector

development

plan.

Stressed and

identified a

tentative

priority

research area,

and formulated

strategies for

extension

services

No strategy to

tackle climate

change

impacts on

agriculture

production

Devised

strategies

Coastal zone,

Sylhet & char

areas in the

monga

affected areas

got priority in

crop sector

development

plan.

Top priority is

given with an

investment

proposal of

US$ 1 billion

Proposed

adaptive

measures to

tackle climate

change

impacts

Stressed

through R &

D programs

Stressed is

given in

southern part

of the country

only

There is no new

allocation to carry

out agriculture

research and

development; no

initiative to

modernize

agriculture extension

services in the

country which is very

important for better

agriculture health.

A sum of TK700

crore is allocated in

each of the last two

fiscals (also in

FY2009-10); yet no

fund is allocated to

the MoA to tackle the

impacts of CC on

agriculture.

No emphasis has

been given to

increase agriculture

productivity and

technological

innovation

Some attention has

been given on Aila

affected southern

region of

Bangladesh.

Inconsistency

remains in

planning and

actual

implementation

Inconsistency

remains both in

planning and

actual

implementation

Inconsistency

remains both in

planning and

actual

implementation

Inconsistency;

tendency to

have ex-post

responses;

regional

intervention

should be

focused on

agro-ecological

zone base

intervention.

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Irrigation

Fisheries &

Livestock

Rural

development

and institutions

Employment

generation

Highly stressed

Highly stressed

Emphasis has

been given on

powerful and

autonomous

local

Governance

Highly stressed

Devised

targets and

comprehensive

strategies

Devised

strategies

As usual

strategies are

proposed

Proposed

strategies are

as usual,

employment in

non-farm

sector is

stressed

Proposed the

largest

investment

program

Investment

plan for next

five years

has been

doubled up

compared to

the past five

years.

Investment

program has

given on road

connectivity

No specific

program for

employment

generation.

Budget allocation is

well below the

targets set in CIP.

Budget allocation is

well below the

projected amount as

in CIP.

Relatively less

emphasis is given

on rural

development and

rural institutions.

Budgetary

measures are as

usual

Lack of

resources

could be the

key constraint;

targets may

not achieve

because of

lack of fund,

and

inefficiency

and poor

governance of

WDB

Lack of

resources

could be the

key constraint

Decentralizatio

n of local

government

and weak

governance of

rural

institutions

continued to

remain in all

planning and

policy

documents.

Objective of

access to food

may not be

achieved due

to lack of

employment

and income

opportunities

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

2322

Agriculture

research and

extension

Impacts of

climate change

on agriculture

production

Productivity

and technology

Regional

intervention

Investment on

R&D Stressed

Highly stressed

Highly stressed

Coastal zone,

Sylhet & chars

in the monga

affected areas

got priority in

crop sector

development

plan.

Stressed and

identified a

tentative

priority

research area,

and formulated

strategies for

extension

services

No strategy to

tackle climate

change

impacts on

agriculture

production

Devised

strategies

Coastal zone,

Sylhet & char

areas in the

monga

affected areas

got priority in

crop sector

development

plan.

Top priority is

given with an

investment

proposal of

US$ 1 billion

Proposed

adaptive

measures to

tackle climate

change

impacts

Stressed

through R &

D programs

Stressed is

given in

southern part

of the country

only

There is no new

allocation to carry

out agriculture

research and

development; no

initiative to

modernize

agriculture extension

services in the

country which is very

important for better

agriculture health.

A sum of TK700

crore is allocated in

each of the last two

fiscals (also in

FY2009-10); yet no

fund is allocated to

the MoA to tackle the

impacts of CC on

agriculture.

No emphasis has

been given to

increase agriculture

productivity and

technological

innovation

Some attention has

been given on Aila

affected southern

region of

Bangladesh.

Inconsistency

remains in

planning and

actual

implementation

Inconsistency

remains both in

planning and

actual

implementation

Inconsistency

remains both in

planning and

actual

implementation

Inconsistency;

tendency to

have ex-post

responses;

regional

intervention

should be

focused on

agro-ecological

zone base

intervention.

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Irrigation

Fisheries &

Livestock

Rural

development

and institutions

Employment

generation

Highly stressed

Highly stressed

Emphasis has

been given on

powerful and

autonomous

local

Governance

Highly stressed

Devised

targets and

comprehensive

strategies

Devised

strategies

As usual

strategies are

proposed

Proposed

strategies are

as usual,

employment in

non-farm

sector is

stressed

Proposed the

largest

investment

program

Investment

plan for next

five years

has been

doubled up

compared to

the past five

years.

Investment

program has

given on road

connectivity

No specific

program for

employment

generation.

Budget allocation is

well below the

targets set in CIP.

Budget allocation is

well below the

projected amount as

in CIP.

Relatively less

emphasis is given

on rural

development and

rural institutions.

Budgetary

measures are as

usual

Lack of

resources

could be the

key constraint;

targets may

not achieve

because of

lack of fund,

and

inefficiency

and poor

governance of

WDB

Lack of

resources

could be the

key constraint

Decentralizatio

n of local

government

and weak

governance of

rural

institutions

continued to

remain in all

planning and

policy

documents.

Objective of

access to food

may not be

achieved due

to lack of

employment

and income

opportunities

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

2322

Rural Credit

Food price

stabilization

Social safety

net (SSN)

programmes

Natural

resources

management

and their

access to poor

Stress has been

given on reform

and innovation

to improve

credit market

opportunities for

the rural poor

and to increase

the efficacy of

rural finance.

Vaguely

mentioned

Stressed, but

as usual

There is no

direction.

Micro credit is

stressed

No specific

strategies

Strategies are

as usual

Provide some

directions for

natural

resources

management

and its access

to poor

No program

has been

taken

accordingly

Public food

management

system is

being

stressed.

Stress has

been given

for

institutional

and capacity

development

for more

effective SSN

programs

Not taken into

consideration

No initiative has

been taken to

increase the flow of

finance in rural

economy.

No specific

measures has been

taken

Budgetary

measures are as

usual

No specific initiative

has been taken

Markets could

not be

developed, if

the flow of

money

circulation is

not increased

sufficiently.

Government

has lost its

control over

food market

and seriously

failed to control

it

Region specific

new integrated

SSN is

required which

should be

linked with

economically

productive

activities

Increasing

access to

natural

resources for

rural poor is

essential for

reducing

poverty and

food vulnerabil

ity. Thus all the

planning

documents

should give

high importance

on it

Improve

nutritional

status

Stressed to

keep it below

15 per cent by

2021, but

terms it

challenging

There is no

specific target;

strategies are

as usual, in the

case of health,

population and

nutrition

together

Target is to

reduce

malnourished

people to

17.5 per cent

by 2015.

Community-

based

program is

proposed

Little initiatives have

been taken.

Strategies in

SFYP and CIP

are

inconsistent.

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Note: Soft copy of this report is available in the following link:

http://www.upr-info.org/IMG/pdf/js8_upr_bgd_s16_2013_jointsubmission8_e.pdf

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

2524

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Rural Credit

Food price

stabilization

Social safety

net (SSN)

programmes

Natural

resources

management

and their

access to poor

Stress has been

given on reform

and innovation

to improve

credit market

opportunities for

the rural poor

and to increase

the efficacy of

rural finance.

Vaguely

mentioned

Stressed, but

as usual

There is no

direction.

Micro credit is

stressed

No specific

strategies

Strategies are

as usual

Provide some

directions for

natural

resources

management

and its access

to poor

No program

has been

taken

accordingly

Public food

management

system is

being

stressed.

Stress has

been given

for

institutional

and capacity

development

for more

effective SSN

programs

Not taken into

consideration

No initiative has

been taken to

increase the flow of

finance in rural

economy.

No specific

measures has been

taken

Budgetary

measures are as

usual

No specific initiative

has been taken

Markets could

not be

developed, if

the flow of

money

circulation is

not increased

sufficiently.

Government

has lost its

control over

food market

and seriously

failed to control

it

Region specific

new integrated

SSN is

required which

should be

linked with

economically

productive

activities

Increasing

access to

natural

resources for

rural poor is

essential for

reducing

poverty and

food vulnerabil

ity. Thus all the

planning

documents

should give

high importance

on it

Improve

nutritional

status

Stressed to

keep it below

15 per cent by

2021, but

terms it

challenging

There is no

specific target;

strategies are

as usual, in the

case of health,

population and

nutrition

together

Target is to

reduce

malnourished

people to

17.5 per cent

by 2015.

Community-

based

program is

proposed

Little initiatives have

been taken.

Strategies in

SFYP and CIP

are

inconsistent.

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Note: Soft copy of this report is available in the following link:

http://www.upr-info.org/IMG/pdf/js8_upr_bgd_s16_2013_jointsubmission8_e.pdf

Stakeholders’ Report on Right to Food in BangladeshJoint Submission of Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and Oxfam

2524

Area of Intervention

for Food Security

Perspective Plan

Sixth Five Year Plan

CIP Budget FY2010-11 & FY2011-12

Comments/

Suggestions

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition

Background

Limitations of MDGs framework

Hunger and malnutrition have been in development debate for centuries but progress has been minimal. After years of studies, debates and negotiations, world leaders gathered at UN Headquarters in September 2000 to ratify the Millennium Declaration which center on halving poverty and improving the welfare of the world’s poorest by 2015. In line with the Millennium Declaration, the UN systems agreed for a set of time bound and measurable goals and targets to assess progress over the period from 1990 to 2015.The MDGs include eight goals addressing income poverty, decent work and hunger (MDG1); primary education (MDG 2); gender inequalities (MDG 3); child and maternal health (MDGs 4 and 5); HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria (MDG 6); environmental sustainability including the loss of natural resources and biodiversity and access to water, sanitation, and good housing (MDG 7); and global partnerships (MDG 8).

Two years from the 2015 target date of the Millennium Development Goals, while there has been progress in reducing poverty in some regions, this progress has been uneven and the number of people living in poverty in some countries continue to increase, with women and children constituting the majority of the most affected groups, especially in the least developed countries.

Though the Millennium Declaration made substantial reference to human rights, and the principles of freedom and equality, the MDGs absolutely departed from those principles, the basis from which the MDGs were drawn. One of the key limitations of the MDGs framework is that the MDG targets are basically some sectoral quantitative targets without focusing on the underlying causes of poverty and hunger. MDGs have been challenged for its target-driven and technocratic approach to development and concerns have been raised as to whether the MDGs pay sufficient attention to women and marginalized groups, and properly address national and global power inequities. The targets are not adequately focused on the poorest of the poor or on inequality within a country.

In respect of MDG Goal 1 (eradication of extreme poverty and hunger), target has been set on achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all, although no date is set for its realization. For MDG target 1.A, extreme poverty is conceived as income poverty, measured principally by those living on less than $1 a day. Concerns have been raised about the focus on the indicator for poverty. In many countries, and through the passage of time, $1 a day is not enough for the poor to be able to afford basic goods for survival. Furthermore, poverty involves more than just a lack of income or a daily struggle for basic sustenance. It is now widely acknowledged that poverty is not confined only to economic deprivation but extends to social, cultural and political deprivation as well. But the goal does not necessarily require States to target the poorest of the poor or address income inequality or to address unequal power structure. Social security is also critical for those who are unable to actively participate in the economy and find work, particularly in the cases of old age, disability and maternity. But the goal does not set any target for social security measures.

In increasing the physical accessibility of food, the distribution of resources, including agricultural services and infrastructure, need to be sufficiently targeted to marginalized and vulnerable groups, including those regions where the poorest reside. Special attention needed

Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on FoodSecurity And Nutrition

27

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition

Background

Limitations of MDGs framework

Hunger and malnutrition have been in development debate for centuries but progress has been minimal. After years of studies, debates and negotiations, world leaders gathered at UN Headquarters in September 2000 to ratify the Millennium Declaration which center on halving poverty and improving the welfare of the world’s poorest by 2015. In line with the Millennium Declaration, the UN systems agreed for a set of time bound and measurable goals and targets to assess progress over the period from 1990 to 2015.The MDGs include eight goals addressing income poverty, decent work and hunger (MDG1); primary education (MDG 2); gender inequalities (MDG 3); child and maternal health (MDGs 4 and 5); HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria (MDG 6); environmental sustainability including the loss of natural resources and biodiversity and access to water, sanitation, and good housing (MDG 7); and global partnerships (MDG 8).

Two years from the 2015 target date of the Millennium Development Goals, while there has been progress in reducing poverty in some regions, this progress has been uneven and the number of people living in poverty in some countries continue to increase, with women and children constituting the majority of the most affected groups, especially in the least developed countries.

Though the Millennium Declaration made substantial reference to human rights, and the principles of freedom and equality, the MDGs absolutely departed from those principles, the basis from which the MDGs were drawn. One of the key limitations of the MDGs framework is that the MDG targets are basically some sectoral quantitative targets without focusing on the underlying causes of poverty and hunger. MDGs have been challenged for its target-driven and technocratic approach to development and concerns have been raised as to whether the MDGs pay sufficient attention to women and marginalized groups, and properly address national and global power inequities. The targets are not adequately focused on the poorest of the poor or on inequality within a country.

In respect of MDG Goal 1 (eradication of extreme poverty and hunger), target has been set on achieving full and productive employment and decent work for all, although no date is set for its realization. For MDG target 1.A, extreme poverty is conceived as income poverty, measured principally by those living on less than $1 a day. Concerns have been raised about the focus on the indicator for poverty. In many countries, and through the passage of time, $1 a day is not enough for the poor to be able to afford basic goods for survival. Furthermore, poverty involves more than just a lack of income or a daily struggle for basic sustenance. It is now widely acknowledged that poverty is not confined only to economic deprivation but extends to social, cultural and political deprivation as well. But the goal does not necessarily require States to target the poorest of the poor or address income inequality or to address unequal power structure. Social security is also critical for those who are unable to actively participate in the economy and find work, particularly in the cases of old age, disability and maternity. But the goal does not set any target for social security measures.

In increasing the physical accessibility of food, the distribution of resources, including agricultural services and infrastructure, need to be sufficiently targeted to marginalized and vulnerable groups, including those regions where the poorest reside. Special attention needed

Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on FoodSecurity And Nutrition

27

mining of essential nutrients and micro-nutrients and organic carbon from the top soils, and the depletion of ground water, are major challenges in sustaining future productive capacity. The climate change caused by global warming has also appeared as a severe threat to subsistence scale agricultural production in future.

Given the small and marginalized farmers’ contribution to food production, high production costs compounded with inadequate and inefficient subsidy mechanism, lack of fair price of agricultural products, lack of adequate storage facilities, faulty public procurement system and problems related to farmers’ access to market etc are some of the major constraints to sustained food production.

Women play important roles as producers of food, managers of natural resources, income earners, and caretakers of household food and nutrition security but women’s access to and control over land are still confined which negatively influences the food production.

Accessibility: Still, a large number of people remain unable to access food in the quantity, diversity and regularity required for a food secure life. According to the Welfare Monitoring Survey 2009(A BBS Survey), 39.8% of the population thinks that they are food insecure. Regional disparities exist in the proportion of the population with less than 2,122 kcal/day. The evidence also suggests that female headed households and households in rural areas are more food insecure compared to their respective counterparts.

Food price hike and price instability have become a matter of grave concern particularly for the low income and fixed income people. The greatest impact of price hike is on poor households whose food to non-food shares are proportionately larger in household spending (68% of total household expenditures in the poorest 5% of households go on food compared to 33% in the

irichest 5% of households).

Bangladesh has wide coverage of social safety net (SSN) programs to tackle the hunger of poor people. Overall coverage of households benefiting from at least one SSN increased from 13.0% of households in 2005 to 24.6% in 2010 (HIES 2010). According to a Report of Central Monitoring Committee, 99 number of safety net programs are being implemented under 21 different ministries and divisions of Government. Whilst this represents substantial progress within five years, the coverage rate is still below the proportion of households that are poor. Challenges associated with the targeting, administration, monitoring and transparency of safety nets are widely discussed. Lack of coordination among the different agencies both within the government and beyond is a major constraint for improved achievement. Moreover, though the social safety nets help safeguard the food rights of millions of people; this is not implemented within a rights-based framework of entitlements, accountability and redressal.

Utilization: Progress in food utilization in terms of food safety and nutritional values is also upsetting. Low birth weight (36%), childhood malnutrition (41% stunting; 36% underweight; 16% wasting) and maternal malnutrition (25% CED) continue to be major nutritional problems in Bangladesh. In the Welfare survey 2009, the households who reported food insecurity mentioned that they manage such crisis by starving (54.3%), loan/borrowing (49.2%) and reducing favorite food (49.3%) and taking less food (39.3%) which signify poor food consumption level.

Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

to be given to groups such as small farmers and landless labourers (through holistic agrarian reform and/or provision of secure tenure), fisher folk and forest users, by ensuring secure access to natural resources within a sustainable framework. The economic empowerment of women through increased and equal control over productive resources is also crucial. To ensure that food is economically accessible (affordable), states need to ensure that there is enough food available to keep prices in check and take steps to ensure that food remains affordable when its market price increases.

Notwithstanding the need for integrated efforts for ensuring food security, the MDGs (goal 1.3) partly reflects the right to food, in particular the right to freedom from hunger, but without any particular attention to the most marginalized and vulnerable. Though equitable national efforts are required to address the root causes of hunger, these have not been captured in the indicators.

The other key concerns as have been raised in many occasions are the absence of human rights based integrated approach to MDG-related development planning, monitoring and reporting, and the absence of enforceability and accountability mechanism.

MDGs are also primarily focused on developing countries. The international accountability mechanisms for the MDGs are particularly weak. While developing countries have taken incentives to adopt MDG-oriented plans, there has been no mechanism to ensure that the rich countries keep their promises (under goal 8) to assist developing countries to realize the other seven goals.

Goal 1 of MDGs is on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger with three targets which are: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day; Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people; and Halve between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Bangladesh has made progress in achieving the MDGs goal 1. Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2010 estimated poverty rate is 31.5% which is positively an improvement to the poverty rate of 56.6% in 1991-92. However, since this HIES reports rate poverty using only the Cost of Basic Needs (CBN) method and not the Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) method, this poverty estimation does not directly show the food security status. Notwithstanding the progress in poverty reduction, Bangladesh could not show progress in employment generation, creation of more decent wage employment for women, attaining food security, reducing income inequality. Labor Force Survey 2010, carried out by BBS, shows a low employment rate that is 59.3 % of the population with low participation of women (36%). The Millennium Development Goals, Bangladesh Progress Report 2011 reveals the increasing income inequality between the rich and the poor. Findings of HIES 2010 reveal that the incidence of rural poverty is higher than that of urban poverty and poverty ranged from 26% in Chittagong division to 46% in Rangpur division.

Availability: In recent years, Bangladesh has made progress in food grain production. Despite approaching self-sufficiency in rice, to ensure food availability in a sustainable manner, challenges remain in many areas. The conversion of arable land for non-agricultural purposes,

MDGs implementation progress in Bangladesh

Key challenges in relation to food security and nutrition in Bangladesh

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition

2928

mining of essential nutrients and micro-nutrients and organic carbon from the top soils, and the depletion of ground water, are major challenges in sustaining future productive capacity. The climate change caused by global warming has also appeared as a severe threat to subsistence scale agricultural production in future.

Given the small and marginalized farmers’ contribution to food production, high production costs compounded with inadequate and inefficient subsidy mechanism, lack of fair price of agricultural products, lack of adequate storage facilities, faulty public procurement system and problems related to farmers’ access to market etc are some of the major constraints to sustained food production.

Women play important roles as producers of food, managers of natural resources, income earners, and caretakers of household food and nutrition security but women’s access to and control over land are still confined which negatively influences the food production.

Accessibility: Still, a large number of people remain unable to access food in the quantity, diversity and regularity required for a food secure life. According to the Welfare Monitoring Survey 2009(A BBS Survey), 39.8% of the population thinks that they are food insecure. Regional disparities exist in the proportion of the population with less than 2,122 kcal/day. The evidence also suggests that female headed households and households in rural areas are more food insecure compared to their respective counterparts.

Food price hike and price instability have become a matter of grave concern particularly for the low income and fixed income people. The greatest impact of price hike is on poor households whose food to non-food shares are proportionately larger in household spending (68% of total household expenditures in the poorest 5% of households go on food compared to 33% in the

irichest 5% of households).

Bangladesh has wide coverage of social safety net (SSN) programs to tackle the hunger of poor people. Overall coverage of households benefiting from at least one SSN increased from 13.0% of households in 2005 to 24.6% in 2010 (HIES 2010). According to a Report of Central Monitoring Committee, 99 number of safety net programs are being implemented under 21 different ministries and divisions of Government. Whilst this represents substantial progress within five years, the coverage rate is still below the proportion of households that are poor. Challenges associated with the targeting, administration, monitoring and transparency of safety nets are widely discussed. Lack of coordination among the different agencies both within the government and beyond is a major constraint for improved achievement. Moreover, though the social safety nets help safeguard the food rights of millions of people; this is not implemented within a rights-based framework of entitlements, accountability and redressal.

Utilization: Progress in food utilization in terms of food safety and nutritional values is also upsetting. Low birth weight (36%), childhood malnutrition (41% stunting; 36% underweight; 16% wasting) and maternal malnutrition (25% CED) continue to be major nutritional problems in Bangladesh. In the Welfare survey 2009, the households who reported food insecurity mentioned that they manage such crisis by starving (54.3%), loan/borrowing (49.2%) and reducing favorite food (49.3%) and taking less food (39.3%) which signify poor food consumption level.

Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

to be given to groups such as small farmers and landless labourers (through holistic agrarian reform and/or provision of secure tenure), fisher folk and forest users, by ensuring secure access to natural resources within a sustainable framework. The economic empowerment of women through increased and equal control over productive resources is also crucial. To ensure that food is economically accessible (affordable), states need to ensure that there is enough food available to keep prices in check and take steps to ensure that food remains affordable when its market price increases.

Notwithstanding the need for integrated efforts for ensuring food security, the MDGs (goal 1.3) partly reflects the right to food, in particular the right to freedom from hunger, but without any particular attention to the most marginalized and vulnerable. Though equitable national efforts are required to address the root causes of hunger, these have not been captured in the indicators.

The other key concerns as have been raised in many occasions are the absence of human rights based integrated approach to MDG-related development planning, monitoring and reporting, and the absence of enforceability and accountability mechanism.

MDGs are also primarily focused on developing countries. The international accountability mechanisms for the MDGs are particularly weak. While developing countries have taken incentives to adopt MDG-oriented plans, there has been no mechanism to ensure that the rich countries keep their promises (under goal 8) to assist developing countries to realize the other seven goals.

Goal 1 of MDGs is on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger with three targets which are: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day; Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people; and Halve between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Bangladesh has made progress in achieving the MDGs goal 1. Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2010 estimated poverty rate is 31.5% which is positively an improvement to the poverty rate of 56.6% in 1991-92. However, since this HIES reports rate poverty using only the Cost of Basic Needs (CBN) method and not the Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) method, this poverty estimation does not directly show the food security status. Notwithstanding the progress in poverty reduction, Bangladesh could not show progress in employment generation, creation of more decent wage employment for women, attaining food security, reducing income inequality. Labor Force Survey 2010, carried out by BBS, shows a low employment rate that is 59.3 % of the population with low participation of women (36%). The Millennium Development Goals, Bangladesh Progress Report 2011 reveals the increasing income inequality between the rich and the poor. Findings of HIES 2010 reveal that the incidence of rural poverty is higher than that of urban poverty and poverty ranged from 26% in Chittagong division to 46% in Rangpur division.

Availability: In recent years, Bangladesh has made progress in food grain production. Despite approaching self-sufficiency in rice, to ensure food availability in a sustainable manner, challenges remain in many areas. The conversion of arable land for non-agricultural purposes,

MDGs implementation progress in Bangladesh

Key challenges in relation to food security and nutrition in Bangladesh

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition

2928

investment plan named the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan, a road map towards investment in agriculture, food security and nutrition. Besides, the specific policy framework on food security, food security issues have been well reflected in other major policy and program documents, such as, 'Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010-2021: Making Vision 2021 a Reality’, Sixth Five Year Plan for FY 2011-2015.

There are also quite a large number of policy instruments related to agriculture, food security and rural development. While these documents are complementary to each other, in some cases they contradict each other. In some cases, there are repetitions of the same policies too. Besides, due to the involvement of multiple ministries lack of coordination hinders the effective progress. The NFP, PoA and CIP could provide pathway both for a unifying policy framework and a coordinating institutional mechanism.

CIP, as a five-year investment plan for food security and agriculture for Bangladesh, does not carry any major discrepancy in terms of policy, planning and strategies between these documents and is fully mainstreamed into the 6th Five Year Plan. However, a greater degree of inconsistencies are found at the implementation level. National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 reveals slow and uneven implementation progress, as indicated by a delivery of just 51% of the budget available for the financial year 2010/11, but impressive increase of the funding of food security and nutrition investments (+ 2.2 Billion USD in 2010/11 for a total of 5.2 billion financed).

International Cooperation: To establish a sustainable food security regime, indigenous supply has to be the main contributor to the supply side, leaving the rest to import. But, as an economically stressed developing country, Bangladesh cannot be expected to meet the challenges of upholding the right to food on their own, especially in the wake of crop losses in years from unfavorable weather conditions. International cooperation is required in this regard both in terms of technological and financial assistance to achieve the progressive realization of the right to food in Bangladesh. On the other hand, as an importing country, Bangladesh’s food security situation is affected by the unjust trade policies and practices at global level such as trade barriers/restriction by food exporting countries, increasing alternative uses of food for the purposes like producing bio-fuels and calls for reforms in the global trade policies, and practices to ensure adequate food supply even in times of crisis.

• Adopt a legal framework on right to food, and introduce right based approach to programing on food security for progressive realization of the right to adequate food;

• Ensure right based approach in the development of Social Protection Strategy currently under development and adopt a unified policy on right based Social Safety Net or Social Protection programs linking with long term development programs on agriculture, food security and nutrition;

• Consider emerging challenges affecting food security like climate change, urbanization, price volatility and financial market instability in designing and implementing food security initiatives; and ensure better coordination among the existing programs;

• Adopt National Agriculture Policy with necessary revisions for ensuring coherence with all agriculture and food security and nutrition policy framework and ensure coherence and efficient coordination among all the relevant implementing agencies;

Key asks at national and international level

National

In a 2010 nutrition survey by Helen Keller International (HKI), BRAC University, and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 45 percent of children under five were found too short for their age group (stunted), a sign of vitamin and mineral deficiency. Six out of 10 households in Bangladesh - including some 10 million children - did not have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in 2010, according to the food security and nutrition survey by HKI and its Bangladeshi partners .

Growth retardation, an outcome of chronic under nutrition, is widespread, affecting almost one in two of the country’s 17 million children below five years of age (Household Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (HFSNA 2009). According to Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey(BDHS,2011), forty-one percent (41%) of all children younger than 5 years old suffer from stunted growth while 16 % are wasted. The combination of stunting and wasting causes thirty-six percent (36%) of all under-5 children to suffer from being underweight (BDHS 2011). It may be noted that for a country like Bangladesh, both food intake quality and awareness on nutrition are important to address malnutrition of mother and children.

Food adulteration with poisonous chemicals has reached a dangerous proportion posing serious health hazards in the country. Basic food items on the market like rice, fish, fruits, vegetables, and sweetmeats are adulterated with hazardous chemicals in an indiscriminate manner. Access to safe drinking water is another crucial component and urban poor are more vulnerable compared to the rural poor.

Global Factors: Although domestic production of rice shows a surplus, the country has to depend on international markets for most other essential food items which include wheat, sugar, pulse, onion, turmeric etc. As an importing country, any changes in the policy and restrictions on the exporting countries immediately affect the domestic markets in soaring domestic prices. Moreover, global price increase also result in increasing the price in local markets as experienced during 2007-08 global price crisis. Due to the loss of production in some food exporting countries due to adverse weather events, experts are apprehending for the crisis like 2007-2008. Bangladesh as an importing country is likely to be a victim of the situation, if appropriate precautionary policy measures are not taken at national and global level.

Exclusion and Vulnerability to Food Security: In a recent baseline survey (2011) on the human rights situation in Bangladesh conducted by NHRC, the respondents from the indigenous communities reported that lack of equal opportunities for employment, and land disputes are major problems facing by them which indicate the vulnerability to food security of the indigenous people of the country.

Food Security Strategies of The People Living in Haor Areas: Status and Prospects (October 2010) explored that over two-fifths of the survey households suffered from normal food insecurity, about one-third from moderate food insecurity and near one-fifth from severe food insecurity. Such vulnerable situations require special attention and priority consideration for victims of natural disasters, people living in disaster-prone areas and other specially disadvantaged groups.

Bangladesh has a comprehensive food security policy framework that includes National Food Policy 2006, followed by the National Food Policy and Plan of Action (2008-2015), and an

Bangladesh’s Policy and Program Framework

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

3130

investment plan named the Bangladesh Country Investment Plan, a road map towards investment in agriculture, food security and nutrition. Besides, the specific policy framework on food security, food security issues have been well reflected in other major policy and program documents, such as, 'Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010-2021: Making Vision 2021 a Reality’, Sixth Five Year Plan for FY 2011-2015.

There are also quite a large number of policy instruments related to agriculture, food security and rural development. While these documents are complementary to each other, in some cases they contradict each other. In some cases, there are repetitions of the same policies too. Besides, due to the involvement of multiple ministries lack of coordination hinders the effective progress. The NFP, PoA and CIP could provide pathway both for a unifying policy framework and a coordinating institutional mechanism.

CIP, as a five-year investment plan for food security and agriculture for Bangladesh, does not carry any major discrepancy in terms of policy, planning and strategies between these documents and is fully mainstreamed into the 6th Five Year Plan. However, a greater degree of inconsistencies are found at the implementation level. National Food Policy Plan of Action and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012 reveals slow and uneven implementation progress, as indicated by a delivery of just 51% of the budget available for the financial year 2010/11, but impressive increase of the funding of food security and nutrition investments (+ 2.2 Billion USD in 2010/11 for a total of 5.2 billion financed).

International Cooperation: To establish a sustainable food security regime, indigenous supply has to be the main contributor to the supply side, leaving the rest to import. But, as an economically stressed developing country, Bangladesh cannot be expected to meet the challenges of upholding the right to food on their own, especially in the wake of crop losses in years from unfavorable weather conditions. International cooperation is required in this regard both in terms of technological and financial assistance to achieve the progressive realization of the right to food in Bangladesh. On the other hand, as an importing country, Bangladesh’s food security situation is affected by the unjust trade policies and practices at global level such as trade barriers/restriction by food exporting countries, increasing alternative uses of food for the purposes like producing bio-fuels and calls for reforms in the global trade policies, and practices to ensure adequate food supply even in times of crisis.

• Adopt a legal framework on right to food, and introduce right based approach to programing on food security for progressive realization of the right to adequate food;

• Ensure right based approach in the development of Social Protection Strategy currently under development and adopt a unified policy on right based Social Safety Net or Social Protection programs linking with long term development programs on agriculture, food security and nutrition;

• Consider emerging challenges affecting food security like climate change, urbanization, price volatility and financial market instability in designing and implementing food security initiatives; and ensure better coordination among the existing programs;

• Adopt National Agriculture Policy with necessary revisions for ensuring coherence with all agriculture and food security and nutrition policy framework and ensure coherence and efficient coordination among all the relevant implementing agencies;

Key asks at national and international level

National

In a 2010 nutrition survey by Helen Keller International (HKI), BRAC University, and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 45 percent of children under five were found too short for their age group (stunted), a sign of vitamin and mineral deficiency. Six out of 10 households in Bangladesh - including some 10 million children - did not have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in 2010, according to the food security and nutrition survey by HKI and its Bangladeshi partners .

Growth retardation, an outcome of chronic under nutrition, is widespread, affecting almost one in two of the country’s 17 million children below five years of age (Household Food Security and Nutrition Assessment (HFSNA 2009). According to Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey(BDHS,2011), forty-one percent (41%) of all children younger than 5 years old suffer from stunted growth while 16 % are wasted. The combination of stunting and wasting causes thirty-six percent (36%) of all under-5 children to suffer from being underweight (BDHS 2011). It may be noted that for a country like Bangladesh, both food intake quality and awareness on nutrition are important to address malnutrition of mother and children.

Food adulteration with poisonous chemicals has reached a dangerous proportion posing serious health hazards in the country. Basic food items on the market like rice, fish, fruits, vegetables, and sweetmeats are adulterated with hazardous chemicals in an indiscriminate manner. Access to safe drinking water is another crucial component and urban poor are more vulnerable compared to the rural poor.

Global Factors: Although domestic production of rice shows a surplus, the country has to depend on international markets for most other essential food items which include wheat, sugar, pulse, onion, turmeric etc. As an importing country, any changes in the policy and restrictions on the exporting countries immediately affect the domestic markets in soaring domestic prices. Moreover, global price increase also result in increasing the price in local markets as experienced during 2007-08 global price crisis. Due to the loss of production in some food exporting countries due to adverse weather events, experts are apprehending for the crisis like 2007-2008. Bangladesh as an importing country is likely to be a victim of the situation, if appropriate precautionary policy measures are not taken at national and global level.

Exclusion and Vulnerability to Food Security: In a recent baseline survey (2011) on the human rights situation in Bangladesh conducted by NHRC, the respondents from the indigenous communities reported that lack of equal opportunities for employment, and land disputes are major problems facing by them which indicate the vulnerability to food security of the indigenous people of the country.

Food Security Strategies of The People Living in Haor Areas: Status and Prospects (October 2010) explored that over two-fifths of the survey households suffered from normal food insecurity, about one-third from moderate food insecurity and near one-fifth from severe food insecurity. Such vulnerable situations require special attention and priority consideration for victims of natural disasters, people living in disaster-prone areas and other specially disadvantaged groups.

Bangladesh has a comprehensive food security policy framework that includes National Food Policy 2006, followed by the National Food Policy and Plan of Action (2008-2015), and an

Bangladesh’s Policy and Program Framework

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

3130

• Increase Official Development Assistance (ODA) and ensure that developed countries/development partners realize their commitments of ODA for the development of agriculture and food security. This can be followed up under MDGs Framework and upcoming Post 2015 process besides ongoing process like CoP.

Often the MDGs framework is criticized as “donor/UN driven” process and Post 2015 process provides the opportunity to engage all level of stakeholders. In 2011, the UN Secretary General in his annual report ‘Accelerating progress towards the MDGs: options for sustained and inclusive growth and issues for advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015’ articulated the importance to look at options for sustained and inclusive growth and issues for advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015. These include the need to foster an inclusive, open and transparent consultation process with multi-stakeholder participation to ensure incorporation of the lessons learned and experiences from all stakeholders. This was reinforced during Rio+20 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be discussed again in 2013 at UN assembly. Under this process, the UN will organize consultations at the national level in up to 50 countries and Bangladesh is one of those. Other forms of consultations have also been started at national and global level which includes mobilization, web platform and crowd sourcing.

The post-2015 framework for development needs to address the interlinked global challenges of food security, poverty eradication, social and economic equity, gender equality, climate change, resilience, equitable distribution of resources, and environmental sustainability. It should base on the principles of human rights, equity and equality, participation, accountability, and shared but differentiated responsibility.

Mostly discussed criticisms against the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include over emphasis on quantity, sectoral and isolated goals, absence of universal values of equality and human rights. Given the experience of the MDGs, the Post MDGs framework should not deliver several isolated goals alone. Rather the framework should ensure holistic and integrated framework to address prevailing development challenges. The framework should use human rights language thereby spelling out the entitlements of the people rather than mere opportunities and services and opening up the space for ensuring accountability of the governments. With specific to food security and nutrition, the framework should impart a food production system based on the principles of food sovereignty and human rights and strengthen the implementation of right to food to eradicate hunger and malnutrition through the promotion of international cooperation and coherence.

To achieve the vision of ending hunger and ensure food security for all, the framework should be built on specific objectives of: (1) ensure access to adequate food for all in sustainable manner and irrespective of geographical location as well as socio economic status of the people; (2) ensure consumption of safe and quality food with adequate nutritional values; and (3) strengthen accountability mechanisms to ensure good governance in all related machineries.

Context of post 2015

Suggested principles for Post 2015 development framework

Suggested framework for Post 2015 specific to food security and nutrition

• Take measures to strengthen agricultural research works with a particular focus on agro ecological peculiarities and climate resilient crop varieties;

• Ensure a strong and frequently updated information system on agriculture, food security and nutrition for accurate projection on the need of the farmers, and for proper planning and monitoring; Strengthen the progress monitoring process by involving a multi stakeholder participatory process;

• Ensure adequate subsidy for the agricultural inputs and strengthen the distribution system to prevent any form of irregularity in the system. Take measures to strengthen the capacity of the relevant govt. institutions such as, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation(BADC), Department of Agricultural Extension(DAE) and empower them to ensure timely and quality services required for the farmers; Ensure incessant initiatives on storage, agro processing, and marketing in adequate and efficient manner;

• Scale up investment to modernize the functioning of state-run TCB, including opening up its branches in different divisions of the country and strengthen the market monitoring to stabilize the food prices;

• Increase the financial investments in the fisheries and livestock sectors as part of comprehensive agriculture, take measures to enhance the capacity of the implementing agencies of these sectors, and update/review existing policies on the livestock sector to encourage private investment;

• Update land use policy and ensure its proper implementation to stop using agriculture land for non-agriculture activities (urbanisation, industrialisation, setting up house, market etc) following FAO voluntary guideline on land;

• Take appropriate legal and administrative steps to ensure land rights of the indigenous people while recognizing traditional rights to land of the indigenous people living in the hill tracts or other forest areas;

• Adopt community based nutrition programs targeting both rural and urban area following a life cycle approach and ensure that such interventions are consistent with local ecosystems and prioritize local solutions and are consistent with the objective of moving towards sustainable diets;

• Massive awareness raising among the consumers on the food safety issues and strengthen the legal and the regulatory regime of consumer protection in the country along with strong monitoring systems; ensure better coordination between food safety inspection and enforcement agencies;

• Ensure adequate financing for timely and proper implementation of the planned interventions in the area of food security.

• Secure pro farmers position in negotiation in WTO to protect the rights of the small and marginalized farmers as far as agriculture is concerned; and takes effective measures that agriculture products get the duty free and quota free market access to the international markets;

• Take effective steps to set up regional and international virtual food banks with the commitments of food availability to countries stressed by food insecurity and furthering the process of making such arrangement operational, in cases where such arrangement has already been made, for example, SAARC Food Bank.

• Include the food security concerns in the agriculture related trade negotiations from a food security perspective; introduce new rules and disciplines to prevent export restrictions/barriers by food exporting countries and ensure continuing food exports to the Least Developed Countries(LDCs) at affordable prices even during the crisis period;

International

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

3332

• Increase Official Development Assistance (ODA) and ensure that developed countries/development partners realize their commitments of ODA for the development of agriculture and food security. This can be followed up under MDGs Framework and upcoming Post 2015 process besides ongoing process like CoP.

Often the MDGs framework is criticized as “donor/UN driven” process and Post 2015 process provides the opportunity to engage all level of stakeholders. In 2011, the UN Secretary General in his annual report ‘Accelerating progress towards the MDGs: options for sustained and inclusive growth and issues for advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015’ articulated the importance to look at options for sustained and inclusive growth and issues for advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015. These include the need to foster an inclusive, open and transparent consultation process with multi-stakeholder participation to ensure incorporation of the lessons learned and experiences from all stakeholders. This was reinforced during Rio+20 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be discussed again in 2013 at UN assembly. Under this process, the UN will organize consultations at the national level in up to 50 countries and Bangladesh is one of those. Other forms of consultations have also been started at national and global level which includes mobilization, web platform and crowd sourcing.

The post-2015 framework for development needs to address the interlinked global challenges of food security, poverty eradication, social and economic equity, gender equality, climate change, resilience, equitable distribution of resources, and environmental sustainability. It should base on the principles of human rights, equity and equality, participation, accountability, and shared but differentiated responsibility.

Mostly discussed criticisms against the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) include over emphasis on quantity, sectoral and isolated goals, absence of universal values of equality and human rights. Given the experience of the MDGs, the Post MDGs framework should not deliver several isolated goals alone. Rather the framework should ensure holistic and integrated framework to address prevailing development challenges. The framework should use human rights language thereby spelling out the entitlements of the people rather than mere opportunities and services and opening up the space for ensuring accountability of the governments. With specific to food security and nutrition, the framework should impart a food production system based on the principles of food sovereignty and human rights and strengthen the implementation of right to food to eradicate hunger and malnutrition through the promotion of international cooperation and coherence.

To achieve the vision of ending hunger and ensure food security for all, the framework should be built on specific objectives of: (1) ensure access to adequate food for all in sustainable manner and irrespective of geographical location as well as socio economic status of the people; (2) ensure consumption of safe and quality food with adequate nutritional values; and (3) strengthen accountability mechanisms to ensure good governance in all related machineries.

Context of post 2015

Suggested principles for Post 2015 development framework

Suggested framework for Post 2015 specific to food security and nutrition

• Take measures to strengthen agricultural research works with a particular focus on agro ecological peculiarities and climate resilient crop varieties;

• Ensure a strong and frequently updated information system on agriculture, food security and nutrition for accurate projection on the need of the farmers, and for proper planning and monitoring; Strengthen the progress monitoring process by involving a multi stakeholder participatory process;

• Ensure adequate subsidy for the agricultural inputs and strengthen the distribution system to prevent any form of irregularity in the system. Take measures to strengthen the capacity of the relevant govt. institutions such as, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation(BADC), Department of Agricultural Extension(DAE) and empower them to ensure timely and quality services required for the farmers; Ensure incessant initiatives on storage, agro processing, and marketing in adequate and efficient manner;

• Scale up investment to modernize the functioning of state-run TCB, including opening up its branches in different divisions of the country and strengthen the market monitoring to stabilize the food prices;

• Increase the financial investments in the fisheries and livestock sectors as part of comprehensive agriculture, take measures to enhance the capacity of the implementing agencies of these sectors, and update/review existing policies on the livestock sector to encourage private investment;

• Update land use policy and ensure its proper implementation to stop using agriculture land for non-agriculture activities (urbanisation, industrialisation, setting up house, market etc) following FAO voluntary guideline on land;

• Take appropriate legal and administrative steps to ensure land rights of the indigenous people while recognizing traditional rights to land of the indigenous people living in the hill tracts or other forest areas;

• Adopt community based nutrition programs targeting both rural and urban area following a life cycle approach and ensure that such interventions are consistent with local ecosystems and prioritize local solutions and are consistent with the objective of moving towards sustainable diets;

• Massive awareness raising among the consumers on the food safety issues and strengthen the legal and the regulatory regime of consumer protection in the country along with strong monitoring systems; ensure better coordination between food safety inspection and enforcement agencies;

• Ensure adequate financing for timely and proper implementation of the planned interventions in the area of food security.

• Secure pro farmers position in negotiation in WTO to protect the rights of the small and marginalized farmers as far as agriculture is concerned; and takes effective measures that agriculture products get the duty free and quota free market access to the international markets;

• Take effective steps to set up regional and international virtual food banks with the commitments of food availability to countries stressed by food insecurity and furthering the process of making such arrangement operational, in cases where such arrangement has already been made, for example, SAARC Food Bank.

• Include the food security concerns in the agriculture related trade negotiations from a food security perspective; introduce new rules and disciplines to prevent export restrictions/barriers by food exporting countries and ensure continuing food exports to the Least Developed Countries(LDCs) at affordable prices even during the crisis period;

International

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

3332

While developing the goals and indicators, an integrated approach must be followed to ensure that an enabling policy environment are created at the national and international levels involving both state and non-state actors and organizations. The framework must also ensure that the economic and social exclusions as well as climate change and disasters that cause food insecurity for certain groups/communities are well addressed, access to associated services(health, crop insurance, land use, market linkage, preservation of agricultural products etc.) are well facilitated.

The Post MDGs framework must create formal scope for CSOs engagement in monitoring the progress. UPR model exercised by UN Human Rights Council and FAO introduced CFS mechanism could be followed along with formation and empowering of Multi Stakeholders’ Forum/ Council for Food Security and Nutrition.

Suggested Goals and Targets

Goal: Ensuring food security and nutrition for all

Target 1: Ensure adequate food availability

Target 2: Ensure access to adequate food

for all in sustainable manner

Target 3: Ensure consumption of safe and

quality food with adequate nutritional

values;

- Increase production of non staple crops

- Subsidy and credit facilities to the small and

marginalized farmers

- Women’s right to land ownership

- Control over/access to land and natural resources of

the poor and marginalized people

- Women economic empowerment

- Efficient and appropriate market mechanism to

ensure small farmers’ access to market facilities

- Agriculture research strengthened

- Cultivation of climate resilient food varieties

- Land use policy revised and implemented

- Increased allocation for the disadvantaged/ back

warded regions’ agriculture

- Sustained employment increased

- Gender equality in all aspects of employment

- Employment for the marginalized people

- Coverage of SSNs increased and adoption of

unified right based legal framework on SSNs

- Rights in work/Minimum wage in domestic law

- Support to the self employment/SMEs

- Strengthen state institutions like TCB to keep food

prices under control/stable

- Legal and regulatory framework for protection of

consumers’ rights

- Community based nutrition programme following

life cycle approach

- Support to promotion of local nutritional food

- Number of underweight/stunted/wasted child

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition

End Notes

i Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page no.21/ Based on the BBS HIES 2010

Goal and Targets Indicators

Suggested Goals and Targets

Target 4: Strengthen accountability

mechanisms to ensure good governance

in all related machineries

Target 5: International Cooperation

- Legal framework developed to ensure food security

- Multi stakeholder participatory monitoring process

operational

- Duty free market access of agricultural products to

the international markets

- rules and disciplines to prevent export

restrictions/barriers by food exporting countries

- Food exports to the Least Developed

Countries(LDCs) at affordable prices even during

the crisis period

- Developed countries/development partners realize

their commitments of ODA for the development of

agriculture and food security

Goal and Targets Indicators

Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

3534

Goal: Ensuring food security and nutrition for all

While developing the goals and indicators, an integrated approach must be followed to ensure that an enabling policy environment are created at the national and international levels involving both state and non-state actors and organizations. The framework must also ensure that the economic and social exclusions as well as climate change and disasters that cause food insecurity for certain groups/communities are well addressed, access to associated services(health, crop insurance, land use, market linkage, preservation of agricultural products etc.) are well facilitated.

The Post MDGs framework must create formal scope for CSOs engagement in monitoring the progress. UPR model exercised by UN Human Rights Council and FAO introduced CFS mechanism could be followed along with formation and empowering of Multi Stakeholders’ Forum/ Council for Food Security and Nutrition.

Suggested Goals and Targets

Goal: Ensuring food security and nutrition for all

Target 1: Ensure adequate food availability

Target 2: Ensure access to adequate food

for all in sustainable manner

Target 3: Ensure consumption of safe and

quality food with adequate nutritional

values;

- Increase production of non staple crops

- Subsidy and credit facilities to the small and

marginalized farmers

- Women’s right to land ownership

- Control over/access to land and natural resources of

the poor and marginalized people

- Women economic empowerment

- Efficient and appropriate market mechanism to

ensure small farmers’ access to market facilities

- Agriculture research strengthened

- Cultivation of climate resilient food varieties

- Land use policy revised and implemented

- Increased allocation for the disadvantaged/ back

warded regions’ agriculture

- Sustained employment increased

- Gender equality in all aspects of employment

- Employment for the marginalized people

- Coverage of SSNs increased and adoption of

unified right based legal framework on SSNs

- Rights in work/Minimum wage in domestic law

- Support to the self employment/SMEs

- Strengthen state institutions like TCB to keep food

prices under control/stable

- Legal and regulatory framework for protection of

consumers’ rights

- Community based nutrition programme following

life cycle approach

- Support to promotion of local nutritional food

- Number of underweight/stunted/wasted child

Looking Beyond MDGs 2015: Food Security and Nutrition

End Notes

i Food Policy Action Plan and Country Investment Plan Monitoring Report 2012, page no.21/ Based on the BBS HIES 2010

Goal and Targets Indicators

Suggested Goals and Targets

Target 4: Strengthen accountability

mechanisms to ensure good governance

in all related machineries

Target 5: International Cooperation

- Legal framework developed to ensure food security

- Multi stakeholder participatory monitoring process

operational

- Duty free market access of agricultural products to

the international markets

- rules and disciplines to prevent export

restrictions/barriers by food exporting countries

- Food exports to the Least Developed

Countries(LDCs) at affordable prices even during

the crisis period

- Developed countries/development partners realize

their commitments of ODA for the development of

agriculture and food security

Goal and Targets Indicators

Thematic Paper on Post MDGs Framework on Food Security And Nutrition

3534

Goal: Ensuring food security and nutrition for all

House 4, Road 3, Block I, Banani, Dhaka 1213, BangladeshPhone : +88 02 8813607-9, 8824440, Fax : +88 02 8817402

/OxfamBangladesh

/OxfaminBD

/OxfaminBangladesh

/Oxfam-in-Bangladesh