FEAB Foundation holds seminar on food and agribusiness development, innovation

The FEAB Foundation organised its 7th International Seminar on Thursday (November 20) at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka to promote food and agribusiness development, safe food production, and technology-driven innovation. The event coincided with the opening of the 13th GrainTech Bangladesh and 13th FoodTech Bangladesh, two three-day international fairs.

The seminar brought together top officials, experts, and entrepreneurs from Bangladesh’s food, agriculture, safe food, research, quality control, and skill development sectors for discussions, according to a press statement Friday.

Speaking on healthy food and safe food policies, Dr Hasan Ahmed Mahadi, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Organic Product Manufacturers Association, said ensuring nutritious food in Bangladesh has become a major challenge. He highlighted that chemical-laden food is damaging vital organs, including the liver, and stressed that “safe food is produced in the field, not the market. Therefore, farmers must be trained on proper cultivation techniques and fertiliser use.” He also emphasised raising public awareness about safe food and fostering coordination among relevant authorities.

Mahmudur Rashid, Managing Director of Grasshopper Group and a member of FBCCI, highlighted that while agriculture contributes 10–12 per cent to Bangladesh’s GDP, its true potential is much greater. “Agriculture is often equated only with crop production, but real value addition happens through processing,” he said. He added that crops worth Tk 20 per kilogram can be transformed into processed products worth Tk 2,000.

Rashid also noted that despite strong demand for processed foods in Bangladesh, the country still heavily relies on imports in this sector. He stressed the importance of research, new technologies, artificial intelligence, and digital training for farmers.

CG Nur-e Sunny, Human Resource Specialist and Trainer at Mind Care, said, “Although delayed, the establishment of the National Skills Development Authority and National Skills Development Council is a significant achievement for Bangladesh. Skilled manpower is crucial for improving the quality of export products and meeting international standards.”

He further noted that around 2.5 million people work in the country’s food industry, but a large portion lacks proper certification. “Ensuring skill and quality will strengthen our position in foreign markets,” he added.

Engineer Shafiqul Rahman, Senior Vice-Chairman of the Food Engineering Alumni of Bangladesh Foundation (FEAB), highlighted that reluctance among youth to undergo training remains a key challenge. “Many face obstacles in training programs, but acquiring skills opens up job opportunities both domestically and abroad and increases national remittances,” he said. “Transforming our population into human capital requires skill development as the key.”

The seminar was hosted by FEAB General Secretary Khandker Rajon.