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DHAKA: Bangladesh will receive a portion of $20 billion fund pledged by G-8 countries for global food security, said a US delegation yesterday.

The delegation led by Director of United States Assistance for International Development (USAID) for Agriculture in Washington Josette Lewis assured Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque of the assistance for food security when they called on the minister at his office.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty and USAID Mission Director in Bangladesh Denise Rollins, among others, were present at the time, says a press release of the food ministry.

The G-8 Group pledged $20 billion to US President Barack Obama in efforts to create a fund for global food security, the delegation said.

The delegation enquired about the strategies and programmes Bangladesh would go ahead with to ensure food security in the country..

Razzaque told the delegation that Bangladesh is focusing more on domestic production, but to challenge the impact of climate change, saline- and drought-tolerant crop varieties should be developed for which the US can assist Bangladesh in research and development activities.

Depending on imported food is not sustainable, noted the minister.

Bangladesh could not import food grains in 2007 and 2008 due to food crisis across the globe, he said.

Therefore, Bangladesh needs to increase the production and the capacity for storage for later use of the grains at the time of scarcity, he added.