Discussion Topics :
1.
Presentation on the report prepared by GOB for the World Food Summit and highlights of the World Food Summit-five years later
2. Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP)
3. Wheat Scam
4. Nomination of facilitators group
The LCG meeting, held on 17 September 2002, discussed the above-mentioned topics.
Mr Robert Hynderick, Food Security Adviser, EC, chaired the meeting.
Presentation on the report prepared by GOB for the World Food Summit and highlights of the World Food Summit: Ms Bui Thi Lan, FAO Representative
•
The “World Food Summit (WFS): five years later ” was held in Rome in June
2002. About 6,000 people attended the summit from 187 countries including 74
Heads of Governments, 248 ministers, 550 NGOs and 1,600 journalists.
•
The declaration of the WFS recognised the need to reinforce the efforts to eradicate hunger in all countries and reduce the number of undernourished people to half no later than 2015. It has reaffirmed the right of everyone to have access to safe and nutritious food. The WFS expressed its concern about the downward trend in the national budgets of developing countries, and decline in ODA, for agriculture and rural development.
•
Two treaties were signed on Genetic Plant Resources and Agriculture Biotechnology during the WFS. Emphasis was given on political-will towards food security, gender equality, fight against HIV/AIDS, sustainable fisheries for food security, as well as on the link between poverty reduction and food security.
Climate changes, trade issues and the right to food were also addressed.
•
Bangladesh reported on the progress made since 1996. Admitting “right to food’ as a basic right, it several problems which hinders the progress towards achieving food security. These include natural disasters, failure of structural adjustments programme, differences in technological status of developed and developing countries, decline in ODA, global trade affecting poor countries i.e. poor countries can not cope with international price fluctuations, etc.
In reply to questions from participants, Ms Bui Thi Lan commented that the food security must be seen as holistic approach. Access to food is the main issue in
Bangladesh compared to production or availability. She also said that the GOB

agriculture policy is concentrated mainly on rice production, which needs to be diversified to other crops.
It was agreed that a good information system on monitoring food security is very important. WFP and FAO could work together on the issue.
Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (IPRSP)
The meeting was informed that food security issues were not adequately addressed in the draft IPRSP. Food security as a concept does not appear in the document, and the
Millenium Goal related to hunger is the only one that is foreseen not to be reached.
It mentions about targeted programmes like NNP, RMP and VGD but without mentioning any strengthening of these efforts.
Participants expressed their wish that the LCG may contribute to an improvement of the PRSP in the area of Food Security.
However, there was a doubt whether at this stage it was still possible to provide inputs for the IPRSP. The Minster for Finance disclosed at the last donors meeting that the final draft of the IPRSP is ready.
It was agreed that the LCG-FSN will check with the IMF/WB about the status of the
IPRSP and investigate possibilities for incorporating better food security concerns. A working group including CIDA, USAID, EC, WFP and HKI was formed to follow-up on the issue and prepare proposals.
Wheat Scam
The meeting discussed the recent wheat scam. WFP informed that the matter is being monitored through its field monitors and that a Special Task Force has been formed to review the situation on weekly basis. So far, distribution of low quality wheat was reported from two places: wheat was replaced in one centre (Chuadanga) and in the other centre (Satkhira) there are reports of low quality wheat purchased from the market being distributed instead of the wheat lifted from LSD. WFP has taken up the matter with the relevant authorities. Low quality wheat was also distributed in
Chittagong division, which may not be related to the wheat scam. The quality of wheat is normally checked through visual observations and the samples collected from the field are sent to the Ministry of Food. WFP monitors the quantity and quality of wheat through visits to distribution centres and LSDs, interviews of the participants and meetings at the Upazila and District level.
A question was raised about the norms used for quality control. WFP confirmed that a guide on wheat quality norms was under preparation for use by monitoring staff.
The Ministry of Food informed the meeting that the Government has taken several measures to deal with the wheat scam, which includes restriction on food movement

for two months in the concerned areas and monitoring of food stock. However, it was mentioned that the main issue is not the quality of wheat but the process followed for the procurement.
DFID informed that one NGO has reported about distribution of low quality wheat in
Tangail and adjacent areas.
The meeting emphasised the need to be vigilant and WFP monitoring is very important in this respect.
Food Aid Leakage Study
Mr Naser Farid, Member Secretary of the joint GOB-Donors Steering Committee reported that WFP has finalised the agreement with IFPRI for the study. It is expected that the study will be launched in mid-October. A meeting of the Steering Committee will be organised for review and approval of the study work plan of IFPRI during the first half of October.
Facilitators Group
The purpose of the ‘Facilitators Group’ is to set the agenda for the LCG-FSN meetings and to review proceedings. In addition to the previous members of the FG,
FAO volunteered to join the group. The new composition of the group will be therefore as follows :
GOB - MoF (Ministry of Food)
Mr. Ruhul Amin, Deputy Chief,
(Food Planning and Monitoring Unit)
FAO - Ms. Bui Thi Lan
Representative in Bangladesh
Multilateral Donors - WFP (World Food Programme)
Mr. Siemon Hollema, Section Manager, PR
Bilateral Donors - EC (European Commission)
Mr. Robert Hynderick, Food Security Adviser
NGOs - CARE (Cooperation for American Relief Everywhere)
Ms. Alka Pathak, Programme Coordinator, IFSP
Tentative Agenda
The following topics could be considered for the next meetings of the LCG-FSN:
§ Right to food

§ Update on NNP
§ Presentation on VAM
§ Presentation on HKI Impact Study on Homestead Food Production –
November 2002
Next Meeting
The schedule for the next meeting will be fixed on confirmation of the arrival and availability of Mr Jean Zeigler, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food of the UN
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for a presentation on “Right to
Food” in the LCG-FSN. Mr Zeigler is expected to visit Bangladesh sometime in
October/November.
Post-meeting update: the meeting has been fixed at 9h30 on Monday October 28 at
WFP as usual.