USAID to launch $180mn food security prog in BD

US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat on Thursday said the USAID will launch a new, five-year $180 million phase of its Food for Peace programme this year to address food insecurity among the poorest and most vulnerable people in Bangladesh, reports UNB.

She made the announcement at a function - Usaid Food for Peace Program in Bangladesh, 2010–2015: Exploring Successes and Challenges - at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the city.

Over the past 45 years, the Ambassador said Bangladesh has made tremendous progress in improving the food security of its people.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) Minister Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain attended it as the chief guest. USAID Bangladesh Mission Director Janina Jaruzelski was also present.

Bernicat said over the past five years, USAID`s Food for Peace program has reached 3.5 million of Bangladesh`s poorest and most vulnerable people through these key projects.

"This battle against food insecurity, malnutrition and natural disasters is not won in a day or a year but it is an ongoing effort to build institutions, communities and families," said the US diplomat.

"We`ll only be successful in this effort by working together, building strong partnerships and sharing the knowledge we have with each other, as we`ll do here today," Bernicat said.

Despite these successes, she said, Bangladesh remains vulnerable to a variety of internal and external forces.  "Fluctuations in world food prices, the effects of global climate change, and of course, seasonal flooding, cyclone and other natural disasters, all threaten to undo the progress already made."

The US diplomat said there is still a great deal to be done to improve the economic status and standard of living, especially for the poorest and most disadvantaged.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) presented the achievements and lessons learned from the most recent phase of its Food for Peace (FFP) programme at the event.

Prominent members of the government of Bangladesh as well as development partners and practitioners, international and local NGOs, implementing partners, media, and other stakeholders attended it.

Since its inception in May 2010, the current five-year, $210 million Food for Peace programme has reached more than 650,000 food-insecure households through activities to improve animal health, agriculture, maternal and child health and rural livelihoods.

Although this phase of the programme will end this year, a new five-year, $180 million phase will follow.

The US government, through USAID, has provided over $6 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh since 1971.

In 2013, USAID provided nearly $200 million to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh.