Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network which, co-convened by Switzerland-based international organisation Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) have launched an innovation challenge for young entrepreneurs to ensure the supply and consumption of nutritious and safe food for lower-income groups. Food Frontiers 2.0 wants to find creative business concepts, inexpensive and scalable technical solutions, and campaign ideas to identify new and innovative ways to reach lower-income consumers with nutritious food products. The application window for the innovation challenge already opened and will close on January 15. Read More: More awareness needed to ensure safe food: Minister A shortlist will be made after scrutinising the submissions received in the first round of selection. Representatives from the selected businesses or ideas will attend a three-day residential boot camp session in the capital as part of investment readiness training and business expansion. Seven winners (two each from three categories), including one reserved prize for the International Nutrition Olympiad, will get cash and pre-seed funding for implementing a business plan, expansion of the business, and infrastructure development.   Read More: Safe food to be ensured for all amid pressure over subsidy Food Frontiers 2.0 wants to build the capacity of young entrepreneurs on sustainable food system approaches and business skills for managing a social enterprise. Also, it aims to co-design business models that are geared towards improving the nutrition outcome of the food system, particularly for the most vulnerable; building a pipeline of potential investments for disruptive innovative ideas for the food system of Bangladesh.   The National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Agricultural University are the strategic partners of this event. Read more: 'Digital agriculture can give Bangladesh's food, nutrition security a boost'

Many workers of different industries in Bangladesh are victims of malnutrition and their productivity rate is likely to fall up to 20% due to the condition.   So, the workers' nutrition safety will have to be prioritised for the implementation of the government's Vision 2021 and 2041 and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). Also read: 43 pc female RMG workers suffering from malnutrition Speakers said this at a partnership agreement signing ceremony between the Department of Labour and Switzerland-based Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in the capital Monday. Moniruzzaman Bipul, portfolio lead of GAIN Bangladesh, said ensuring necessary nutrition for workers may increase their productivity rate up to 20%. "Only anaemia, caused by iron deficiency, is responsible for the reduction of productivity worth $500 crore in South Asia."

As most of the country’s kitchen markets lack favourable atmosphere for women, speakers at a programme called for ensuring healthy and women-friendly markets.  

Eating a nutritious diet is very important in times of Covid. And ensuring the supply of nutrition-dense foods in the country can pave the way for sustainable development, according to experts.

About 43 percent of workers in the country's lucrative ready-made garments (RMG) industry are suffering from malnutrition, according to Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Swiss-based International Organization.

Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Switzerland-based NGO, has launched a campaign to raise awareness among RMG workers on malnutrition through digital distant approach.