Dhaka, Oct 16 (V7N) – Agriculture and Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid today said that increasing the quantity of food production alone is not enough; safe, nutritious and quality food must be ensured considering people's health and nutritional needs.
The minister said this at an event organized on the occasion of World Food Day-2026 at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council at Farmgate in the city, according to a press release.
The minister said, alongside the global food crisis, ensuring the quality and nutritional value of food is becoming increasingly important. He added that the food habits of the younger generation are changing worldwide. Along with rice, their interest in vegetables and fruits is increasing. In this reality, the type and planning of agricultural production must be changed to increase the supply of nutritious food.
Regarding the harmful effects of pesticides and heavy metals in agriculture, he said, in many cases, excessive pesticides are used on crops in the hope of higher yields. As a result, the risk of food contamination increases, and it can have severe negative impacts on public health. To address this situation, it is necessary to make farmers aware and strengthen the safe food production system, he added.
Aminur Rashid informed that the government was working to ensure fair prices for farmers' produces to protect them. At the same time, he said, initiatives are being taken to build an information-based plan and effective management to determine how much agricultural produce will be produced in which season depending on demands.
Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Selim Khan chaired the event, while Dr Khandaker Iftekharuddula, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of the Plant Breeding Division of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, presented the keynote paper.
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