The Integrated Food Policy Research Program (IFPRP) is a key component of the Modern Storage Facilities Project (MSFP) implemented by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Food and funded by the World Bank. In late July 2016, the IFPRP was awarded to an IFPRI-led consortium that also comprises the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) and the University of Illinois. The honorable Minister of Food Mr. M. Qamrul Islam, MP officially launched the program on 6 December 2016. The three focus areas of the IFPRP are enhancing analytical capacity, conducting collaborative research with cutting-edge methods, and developing an evidence-based policy framework for a changing food-policy context—all with the overarching aim of improving the country’s food systems.
The Review and Early Results Workshop, to be held on 6 April 2017 at the Centre for Integrated Rural Development for Asia and Pacific (CIRDAP) in Dhaka, is a half-day event where the IFPRI-led team will bring together partners and stakeholders to review and discuss the progress to date. The honorable Secretary of Food Md. Kaikobad Hossain will serve as Chief Guest of the inaugural session, chaired by Mr. Md. Badrul Hasan (director general, DG Food). The session will begin with a welcome address by Dr. Shahidur Rashid (senior fellow, IFPRI; team leader, IFPRP), followed by remarks from Mr. Md. Gazi Ur Rahman (project director, MFSP) and Dr. Akhter Ahmed (IFPRI-Bangladesh representative). The session will also feature leadership team members from both IFPRI and BIDS. Dr. Paul Dorosh (director, IFPRI-DSGD, Washington) and Dr. Khan Ahmed Syeed Murshid (DG Food and BIDS) will reflect on the roles and commitments of their respective institutions in implementing IFPRP. Chief Guest Md. Kaikobad Hossain will grace the session with a speech, after which Chairperson Md. Badrul Hasan will give closing remarks.
During the Technical Session, chaired by Mr. Naser Farid (Director General, FPMU), Professor Zahurul Karim (International Consultant, MFSP) will reflect on the strategic challenges of implementing the IFPRP. Dr. Rashid will then discuss IFPRP’s progress since its launch. The central focus of the session will be the presentation by Dr. Dorosh and IFPRI research fellow Dr. Kindie Getnet of preliminary results of a study on the levels and determinants of private food grain (rice and wheat) stocks in Bangladesh. The technical presentations will be followed by a discussion before the event is concluded.