![\"PM\"](\"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/PM-1.jpg\")
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged the development partners for investing in sustainable rural economies to ensure resilience to agricultural crisis as the inclusive and sustainable rural transformation hold key to eliminate poverty and hunger.\n\u2018The development partners have to be a little more generous in order to eliminate poverty and hunger. The world appears to me to be ready now for it. I would like to urge you for investing in sustainable rural economies,\u2019 she said.
\nThe prime minister made the call while delivering her keynote speech in the 41st Session of the IFAD\u2019s Governing Council held at the Headquarters of International Fund for Agricultural Development in Rome with its president Gilbert Foussoun Houngbo in the chair.
\nThe theme of the session was \u2018From fragility to long-term resilience: Investing in sustainable rural economics\u2019.
\nSheikh Hasina said, \u2018We believe that in order to ensure resilience, investment in rural economy is a key factor. This, we believe, cannot be achieved without global partnership and cooperation.\u2019
\nNoting that sustainability cannot be achieved without creating long-term resilience she said, \u2018A comprehensive sustainable rural economy requires investment in the development of the rural social fabric and climate resilience.\u2019
\nFocusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, the prime minister said, \u2018Inclusive and sustainable rural transformation is the key to reaching the goals of poverty elimination, hunger elimination and leaving no one behind.\u2019
\nMentioning that Bangladesh having over 160 million people is the most densely populated country in the world, she said it is poised to achieve the SDG goals well ahead of 2030 and it estimates that poverty will be eradicated altogether by 2024.
\nBut Bangladesh faces other formidable challenges as it is likely to lose 40 per cent of its productive land by 2080 if sea levels rise 65 centimetres only. \u2018Changes in crop production due to the impact of climate change will increase the number of people living in poverty. Therefore, significant resources must be tapped in order to ensure better adapted and resilient agricultural practices,\u2019 she added.
\nTalking about the remarkable achievement of Bangladesh, the prime minister said the country has been very lucky with stable governance for almost a decade. \u2018We formulated our strategy of socio-economic growth very carefully over a period of about four years. And then we tried to implement it in the last nine years.\u2019
\nFortunately, she said, the development partners came forward with eager and generous hands and jointly made the proud progress.
\nNoting that IFAD\u2019s model of mutual help and partnership is very different from that of other UN agencies and organisations she said, \u2018We sincerely believe that this ideal model will work in the promising future that is before mankind now.\u2019
\nSheikh Hasina said according to World Economic Forum report, the world\u2019s population is projected to surpass 9 billion by 2050 and there will be a huge strain on declining global arable land, forests and water.
\nShe said rise in sea level will heavily reduce arable land in many countries and Bangladesh will be its victim again without contributing to sea level rise at all.
\n\u2018Global food demand in 2050 would increase by at least 60 percent over 2006 levels and food prices are likely to increase by at least 84 percent,\u2019 she added.
\nRegarding how to respond to such a combination of adverse developments the Prime Minister mentioned the success story of Bangladesh. \u2018First of all, let me tell you that the natural resilience of Bangladeshi people to any crisis did not allow the build-up of a food crisis in a year of climatic vagaries and reduced food production in the country.\u2019
\nShe said the resolve of Bangladeshis to tighten the belt, encounter difficulties with confidence and seek alternative ways of meeting the crisis enabled the country to overcome and succeed.
\n\u2018Bangladesh had about a decade of self-sufficiency in food and then this year there was an unexpected shortfall due to untimely and recurrent flooding. Some adjustment in import policy immediately made food readily available to the consumers.\u2019
\nShe mentioned that Bangladesh has increased its food production from 11 million tons in 1971 to 39 million tons in 2017 although one third of arable land has been lost in the meantime.
\n\u2018From 2008 it has been an increase of 9 million tons. This was possible as we reached agri-inputs to the farmers with heavily subsidized prices, and soft and collateral-free loans were made available to the landless farmers.\u2019
\nSheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh used all options that ICT could offer to overcome the crisis. \u2018At present ICT is helping Bangladesh to accelerate the efficiency and precision of research, particularly on issues related to climate change.\u2019
\nNoting that Bangladesh is fourth largest producer of sweet water fish in the world, she said the total fish production reached up to 41.34 lakh MT in 2016-17 due to fisheries-friendly policies. \u2018This has contributed to self-sufficiency in fish production.\u2019<\/p>\n