Govt launches food systems dashboard

The government today launched Bangladesh Food Systems Dashboard, a repository enriched with accurate information of all food-related indicators, in order to ensure a robust and data-driven management of food.

The objective of the dashboard is to digitise all food systems data so that the policymakers can make decision using those data to ensure food and nutrition security, Food Secretary Ismiel Hossain said while inaugurating the dashboard.

The Food Planning and Monitoring Unit of the food ministry, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) worked together for the development of the dashboard, the food ministry said in a press release.

GAIN supported the process in partnership with the Columbia Climate School, and Food and Agriculture Organisation in collaboration with the Prime Minister's Office, planning and agriculture ministries, International Fund for Agricultural Development, other development partners and academia.

The food secretary also said this will be helpful to ensure availability and accessibility of safe and nutritious food for all Bangladeshis.

Data is critical in making decisions for policy and different elements of food systems, said Rudaba Khondker, country director of GAIN in Bangladesh.

The food systems dashboard was one of the efficient tools to demonstrate the progress of Bangladesh towards sustainable, equitable and resilient food systems transformation, she said.

The dashboard has the potential to generate positive change in the food systems landscape and advance Bangladesh's national pathway for food systems transformation as well as the sustainable development goals by enabling data-driven decision-making, according to the press release.