Workshop on fortified rice kernel held in Faridpur
Faridpur,(Barta24.com): A day long workshop titled “District Advocacy Workshop towards Scaling up of Rice Fortification in Bangladesh” organized jointly by Ministry of Women & Children Affairs and Ministry of Food while supported by Nutrition International (NI) and World Food Program (WFP was held on Monday (April 29) at the conference room of Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Faridpur.
Joint Secretary of Ministry of Food Saiful Islam was the chief guest while DC, Faridpur Ommey Salma Tanzia chaired the workshop.
The main object of the workshop was to create awareness among the vulnerable women of our society to intake fortified nutritious food in the form of kernel rice under Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) program.
The chief guest in his speech said that now we are self-sufficient in rice production producing 3.70 crore tons annually. If we go for fortified rice then we can save 42 lakh tons of food annually. About the ingredients of fortified rice he said that it is nothing but mixing of 4 percent medicinal rice with 96 percent normal rice. It is made by mixing in a machine while it is now being imported from China. The local production will start soon, the Chief Guest said.
The Chief Guest disclosed that 10 lakh 40 thousand destitute women are now under social safety net of VGD and VGF programs, the biggest safety net program of the government. He said that the fortified rice will help build healthy citizens of the country.
In reply to a question Deputy Director General of Food Aminul Ahsan told that there is nothing like plastic rice or plastic egg as rumored in the society because one kilogram of plastic is more costly than one kilogram of rice then why plastic will be used to make rice.
The workshop was also addressed by WFP officials and Food directorate officials. It was participated by citizens of all strata, journalists, beneficiaries of VGD, rice millers, rice dealers and local government officials.
DC Ommey Salma Tanzia stressed the need for avoiding junk and fast food so that we do not gain obesity thereby become sick. She emphasized on taking vegetables for maintaining good and sound health.
Earlier Deputy Director of Women Affairs, Faridpur Mashuda Begum in her short speech welcomed the guests.