Agrilife24.com: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, proudly announces the inauguration of the “My Food, My City” exhibition to showcase the activities done by the project Support for Modelling, Planning and Improving Dhaka’s Food System (DFS). This groundbreaking initiative aims to foster inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability in the urban food system of Dhaka Division's four City Corporations – Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Gazipur, and Narayanganj.
The exhibition will be open to public between 8-16 December, 2023 at the Vasker Novera Gallery of Bangla Academy, the exhibition contributes to the larger framework offered by the Dhaka Food Agenda 2041, a visionary project developed through action research, evidence-based analysis, and a collaborative multi-stakeholder approach. This project aligns seamlessly with national policies and priorities, representing a significant stride towards a more comprehensive and integrated urban food system.
Pedro Garzon Delvaux, Project Manager for FAO said, “Living in cities constantly changes the way we relate to food, even more so in an urban area like Dhaka which is evolving rapidly. Thinking about this ‘my food-my city’ relationship – and more so in an entertaining way – is something that can help us making better individual and collective choices today and, in the future”.
“My Food, My City” exhibition features a curated set of displays, including maps, infographics, and interactive games, all centred around the theme of healthier diets and future scenarios of Dhaka’s food systems. Running daily from 10 am to 6 pm, this exhibition seeks to re-think Dhaka’s urban food landscape. Visitors are invited to explore and engage with exhibits focusing on fresh food markets, supermarkets, diets, processed food, and urban agriculture.
Background
Support for Modelling, Planning and Improving Dhaka’s Food System (DFS) project aims to make the city's food system more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable by supporting the Government of Bangladesh to develop the Dhaka Food Agenda 2041. The project embraces a food systems approach with a focus on action research and collaborative multi-stakeholder partnerships. The local government division of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Co-operatives leads project implementation with technical support from FAO and Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The project is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
So far, the Dhaka Food Agenda 2041 was launched as an anticipatory governance strategic resource document, alongside Food Charters for the city's four corporations. The capacity of 2700 food market vendors and market management committees in 130 fresh markets of the city strengthened. 16 farmers' markets created, providing fresh and safer produce by farmers endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture. Over 100 organizations around the future of Dhaka’s urban food system are engaged in the project. Original GIS and economic modelling food system dashboards are introduced. 6 500 people received urban agriculture training and inputs. 8 700 beneficiaries received training on food selection, purchasing, and cooking safe food. Also, hotel and restaurant owners, cooks, butchers, and street food vendors are trained on food safety, safe handling of meat, and hygiene practices.
