CGIAR and Partners Renew Collaboration for the Benefit of Millions in Bangladesh

July 20, 2022, Dhaka, Bangladesh – CGIAR, in collaboration with the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, launched its Research Portfolio of advanced scientific innovations to help unlock the potential of Bangladesh’s agrifood system.

Participants at the high-level meeting discussed specific research deliverables in the areas of climate adaptation and mitigation; environmental health and biodiversity; poverty reduction, livelihoods and jobs; gender equality, youth and inclusion; and nutrition, health and food security. The 12 multi-disciplinary Initiatives launched include:

• Transforming Agri-food Systems in South Asia (TAFSSA), the platform from which all CGIAR Global Thematic Initiatives will engage in South Asia and Bangladesh to deliver a coordinated program of research and engagement across the food production to consumption continuum;
• Mitigate+: Research for Low-Emission Food Systems, which will support climate adaptation and mitigation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food systems;
• Resilient Cities Through Sustainable Urban and Peri-Urban Agrifood Systems, focusing on building inclusive and sustainable food markets, safeguarding supply chains, and enabling sustainable production of nutritious foods in (peri-) urban zones, as humanity transitions to an urban world over the next generation;
• Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems, which will enable the production of more food on the same piece of land, while reducing the negative environmental impact.

Over the next three years, the CGIAR Research Portfolio is projected to positively impact livelihoods, productivity, and health for millions of smallholder farmers, indigenous fishers, and food-insecure families, in a highly challenging regional context. Of the 700 million+ people around the world who are hungry every day, the largest number live in South Asia. Climate change has reduced yields, while farmers face droughts, heatwaves, and erratic weather patterns. Rising populations, increasing economic inequality, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, which are driving up prices for fertilizer, fuel and food, are additional contributing factors that make achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in South Asia a considerable challenge.

Against this background, representatives from the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Food, Department of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute met with members of CGIAR to consider research, capacity and advocacy priorities and how to achieve maximum impact in Bangladesh through a One CGIAR systems approach.

Dr. Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, MP, Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, said, “On behalf of the Government of Bangladesh, I would like to thank CGIAR and all the Centers operating in Bangladesh for inviting me to this important event. I’m very pleased to be present today at the launching event, which is part of the engagement action plan that drives the 10-year strategy vision of CGIAR. The strategy focuses on delivering science and innovation to advance that transformation of food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis which is very important for Bangladesh.”

SM Rezaul Karim, MP, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, said, “Food safety should be a shared responsibility among government, private sector, producers and consumers. We all must work relentlessly to address the food security challenges by working across these sectors. We need to strengthen institutional collaboration, and create knowledge and experience related to agriculture research and development.”

Temina Lalani-Shariff, Regional Director, South Asia, CGIAR, said, “Today’s meeting was highly constructive. It builds on a 50-year foundation of collaboration with Bangladesh, while also taking our collaboration to the next level so that we can meet the increasingly complex environmental and nutrition challenges that Bangladesh is facing. There was transparent and thoughtful dialogue around emerging issues and research gaps in Bangladesh. I appreciated the opportunity to reassure our partners that the One CGIAR transition will offer a one-stop shop to access our global capabilities.” She concluded, “I would like to warmly thank our partners in Bangladesh and South Asia, whose expertise, commitment and collaboration are vital to our common goal of transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis.”

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Media contact: Azizur Rahman Anik, Cell: +8801768-100761, email: a.anik@irri.org

About CGIAR

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis. Its research is carried out by 13 CGIAR Centers/Alliances in close collaboration with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations and the private sector. www.cgiar.org

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture), and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) make up the CGIAR Centers in Bangladesh. 

We would like to thank all Funders who support this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.

List of Initiatives launched (please click here for full details on the individual Initiatives)