Mr. Shi Jiaoqun, the new FAO Representative to Bangladesh presented his Credentials to the Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
The Foreign Minister welcomed the new FAO Representative and assured him of the necessary support in discharging his responsibilities. He highlighted Bangladesh’s remarkable progress in food security and agricultural production despite facing the challenges of shrinking arable land, growing population, and climate impacts. He sought FAO’s customized technical assistance for enhancing local wheat and maize production in order to help address growing demands currently met through imports. He also urged the Country Representative to align FAO’s activities with the relevant priority areas identified in the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100. Foreign Minister reiterated Bangladesh’s interest in supporting contract farming through private sector engagement in interested African countries.
Mr. Shi congratulated the Foreign Minister on his new assignment and recalled the excellent partnership forged since Bangladesh’s FAO membership in 1973. He flagged that FAO has so far implemented more than 400 projects worth USD 500 million over the last fifty years, and assured of sustained support to the line Ministries and agencies towards achieving the national goals and aspirations.