‘Fast measures to restore supply chain of agro produce vital’

With food supply remaining as a major concern in Bangladesh, which has gone into a lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus,  Citizen’s Platform for SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), Bangladesh, yesterday urged the government to take prompt measures to organize secured convoy of vehicles to restore supply chain of agricultural produces.

During an online media briefing, it also urged the government to include non-state actors, NGOs (non-government organizations) and their network across the country to implement the government’s policy support and bailout packages effectively.

The briefing was titled “Strengthening Effectiveness of the Non-State Actors’ in Covid-19 Response Activities.”

According to reports coming in from different parts of Bangladesh, farmers are counting losses due to low prices of their produce, especially seasonal vegetables, amid the lockdown which began from March 26.

“The supply chain has totally broken down due to the suspension of transportation. Farmers, especially in the North, are the ones hit hardest. They are not getting a fair price for their produce that is perishing while prices remain high in the kitchen markets at the capital,” said Debapriya Bhattacharya, convenor of the platform.

Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, works to contribute to the delivery of the SDGs and enhance accountability in its implementation process.

The briefing was aimed at presenting the platform’s recommendations in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Suspended transportation amid the lockdown has left the financial viability of agricultural enterprises in tatters, pushing them into indebtedness and poverty, said Debapriya, calling for urgent measures to ensure the supply of farm outputs.

The government has undertaken lots of policy mechanisms and announced bailout packages to combat the economic fallout of the coronavirus, but there’s a strong need for integrating the non-state actors for effective and transparent implementation of those measures, according to the distinguished fellow of the think tank, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

The platform underscored the need for the formation of a national mechanism for effective implementation of government initiatives in collaboration with non-state actors.

Working with the NGOs, which have a vast network within the identified groups, will help the government in reaching out to these groups appropriately.

The government will largely benefit from collaborating with non-state actors conducting awareness campaigns on health and government-announced incentives, listing underserved people, distributing aid to households, and channeling cash assistance to vulnerable families.

The paramount priority now is saving lives and science tells us that the most effective tool now is social distancing, the Platform said, before adding there is no scope for underestimating the importance of protective social distancing, including quarantine, isolation, and lockdown.

It has identified safeguarding private sector jobs as critical in the face of the economic slowdown. It says the lack of data on micro, small and medium enterprises will create complexities and that ensuring their access to the stimulus packages announced to cushion the coronavirus impact is vital.

Citizen’s Platform for SDGs emphasized developing a partnership between the government and private sector bodies to reach out to these groups of entrepreneurs.

(DT)