Food Adviser Ali Imam Majumder today called upon the global community to move decisively towards a sustainable food system, reaffirming Bangladesh’s unwavering readiness to contribute to ensuring a better food future for all. He made these remarks while addressing the UN Food System (UNFSS+4) Summit in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
“The world in unison should move ahead for a transformation towards an inclusive, resilient, healthy and sustainable food system,” Majumder emphasized during his speech. He underscored the critical need for developing countries to access technical assistance to make the global food system sustainable, and also advocated for the creation of a multi-stakeholder platform to effectively coordinate national food system transformation efforts.
The Adviser reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment, stating that the nation is prepared to collaborate with all partners to build a better food future for everyone. He highlighted Bangladesh’s remarkable progress in recent decades: “Over the past few decades, Bangladesh has made significant progress in food production, nutrition and poverty reduction. From a food deficit country, we are now self-sufficient in rice.” He further noted that necessary changes have been implemented in Bangladesh’s production system to achieve self-sufficiency in fisheries, vegetables, and livestock as well.
However, Majumder acknowledged that Bangladesh continues to face new and complex challenges in this regard. “In particular, climate change, price instability, land degradation, water scarcity and growing inequality are direct threats to our food system. In addition, urbanization, unemployment and malnutrition are still concerns for us,” he explained. Climate change, in particular, is a significant threat, impacting agricultural production through erratic weather patterns, increased frequency of extreme events like floods and droughts, and rising soil salinity in coastal areas.
To address these pressing issues, the Adviser stressed the importance of food security measures aimed at combating malnutrition. These include empowering women, ensuring equitable access to food for vulnerable populations, and guaranteeing social protection through initiatives like school feeding programs.
The UNFSS+4 Summit, held in Addis Ababa from July 27-29, 2025, serves as a crucial platform to review progress made since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and to accelerate action towards achieving sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems. Bangladesh’s active participation underscores its commitment to global food security and its efforts to navigate complex challenges to secure food and nutrition for its growing population.
