Canada’s Global Institute for Food Security opens office in Bangladesh

Dec 14, 2021

The office will help the two countries work together on ag research

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The opening of an office in Bangladesh’s capital city will help that country and Canada work together on ag research projects.

The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), headquartered at the University of Saskatchewan, opened a new international office in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Dec. 12.

The office will support GIFS’ multidisciplinary research and assist with training and development partnerships with the Bangladesh Research Council to promote sustainable food security in the country.

This includes cooperating with Saskatchewan and Canadian ag stakeholders including Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre and the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute.

“As a result of opening this office in Dhaka, (Saskatchewan’s) technology and experience can be utilized,” said Dr. Abdur Razzak, Bangladesh’s minister of agriculture, the Dhaka Tribune reported. “Cooperation between Bangladesh and Canada in the field of agriculture will be further strengthened.”

Opening GIFS’ office comes more than a year after provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit traveled to the country as part of a three-country tour in February 2020. The trip also included India and the United Arab Emirates.

While in Bangladesh, Minister Marit attended a Memorandum of Understanding signing with local and GIFS officials.

The GIFS office presents new opportunities for both countries, Marit said while joining the opening ceremony virtually.

“"The establishment of this office would further enhance cooperation between the two countries in the agricultural sector,” he said. “We need to work together to meet the food needs of a growing population and make its food security sustainable. To this end, we will work together."

Bangladesh is one of Saskatchewan’s top 10 markets. In 2020, almost $613 million worth of Saskatchewan products were exported to Bangladesh.

Major Saskatchewan ag exports to the country include wheat, soybeans, lentils, peas and canola seed.

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