PM urges int’l community for greater focus on food security

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged the global community to put greater focus on agriculture and food security to minimise the risk of lives and livelihoods of farmers, fishers, artisans and women.

"As we move to implement the Paris Agreement, there are areas global community, including the businesses, can step in, First, lives and livelihoods of our farmers, fishers, artisans and women are increasingly at risk. They need urgent support. We need greater focus on agriculture and food security," she said.

Also READ: World Economic Forum: PM calls for greater water collaboration

The prime minister said this while speaking at a plenary session titled 'Leading the Fight against Climate Change' of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2017, held at Congress Centre, Congress Hall in Davos of Switzerland in the evening.

Sheikh Hasina also urged the global community and businesses to make "smart agriculture" beneficial for small and marginal farmers as well as imparting knowledge on sustainable cropping and farm management in the entire value chain.

Observing that global business and research hold solutions that can save lives, crops and agri resources, she said, "We need innovative 'not-for-profit' models or partnerships to roll the solutions to meet our needs,"

The prime minister noted that access to renewable and clean energy, energy-efficient technologies, devices, implements are critical for farming, manufacturing and urban services.

"We need support and innovate to go beyond the existing global energy market modalities," she said.

"We're moving towards 'green growth' path. But, we need assured climate finance as the world pledged. Half of that amount has to go to climate-vulnerable countries," she added.

The PM also pointed out that technology transfer is very critical as the world can no longer sit pretty on the excuse of intellectual rights protection.

"And, now the UN Technology Bank for LDCs is there for all to help the LDCs on technology. What we ask is access to life-saving technologies in agriculture, health, etc. that can bring in huge difference," she said.

Noting that Bangladesh is 'a tale of climate ground zero', Hasina said although Bangladesh contributes least to global greenhouse gas emission, it pays dearly as millions are forced to move silently.

She said Bangladesh ratified the Paris Agreement with the hope that the global community will share responsibility for shared prosperity.

"Paris Agreement must deliver towards the low-income, climate vulnerable countries," the prime minister affirmed.

She said in 2009, out of own resources, Bangladesh established a 400 million dollar Climate Change Trust Fund.

"In 2012, we committed that Bangladesh would not exceed the average per capita emission of the developing world," she informed.

The prime minister pointed to that fact that Bangladesh is shifting to a low-carbon development path. "We're transforming our manufacturing 'green'. We're focusing on renewable energy; and installed around 4.5 million Solar Home Systems in Bangladesh," she said.

Noting that over 15 million people now access electricity from these solar units, the prime minister projected that by 2018, Bangladesh will emerge as the largest solar nation in the world.