Environment, Forest and Climate Change:
Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), stressed the importance of improving food production while minimizing environmental damage. She highlighted the need to conserve natural resources such as rivers, canals, valleys, and the atmosphere to ensure a sustainable and nutritious food system.
She made these remarks at a workshop titled “Implementing National Adaptation Plans from the Perspective of Food Systems and Nutrition” held at Hotel Intercontinental, Dhaka on Tuesday. The event, organized by MoEFCC with support from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), focused on the impact of climate change on food transformation.
Dr. Farhina Ahmed expressed appreciation for GAIN’s collaboration with the ministry through a newly signed MoU. She hoped this partnership would effectively address key challenges in the food system under the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and facilitate timely solutions.
The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Fahmida Khanom, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. Among others, speakers at the workshop included Dr. Md. Kamruzzaman, Director General of the Department of Environment; Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Director General of the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit; Dr. Rudaba Khondker, Country Director of GAIN; and Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Advisor to GAIN and former Additional Secretary.
Experts from various ministries, government agencies, development partners, civil society organizations, NGOs, and the scientific community attended the event. Youth and women representatives also participated in discussions on leveraging NAP to transform the food system while ensuring environmental sustainability.