The government of Bangladesh has entered into a financing agreement with the International Development Association (IDA), a unit of World Bank, to establish a food storage facility.
As part of the Modern Food Storage Facilities project, the government will construct steel silos and support the distribution of smaller household silos to 500,000 households.
The steel silos, capable of storing around 535,500 tons of rice and wheat for up to three years, incorporate computerized control of humidity and temperature to retain the nutritional quality.
The silos, or grain storage bins for households are 70-liter, food-grade plastic bins that can hold about 40kg of paddy.
World Bank Bangladesh acting country head Christine Kimes said, "Bangladesh faces floods and cyclones almost every three years and climate change could increase the frequency and intensity of these extreme-weather events.
"This modern food storage system, combined with an effective distribution system, will help to ensure food security immediately after a natural disaster. The project will reduce the vulnerability of people living in natural disaster prone areas and help Bangladesh build a stock of food to meet emergencies."
Government of Bangladesh Economic Relations Division additional secretary Arastoo Khan said that the steel rice and wheat silos would offer enhanced shelf life of rice and wheat from seven months to three years.
"This would protect the Government from having to replenish rice and wheat stock every 7 month with huge cost. The government would have greater maneuverability in management and distribution of cereal stock," added Khan.
In addition to supporting modernization of the monitoring and management system of food stocks and food policy research program development, the project will also provide project management support, supervision and technical assistance, and training.
