Dhaka, Bangladesh | 14 September 2025 - A delegation of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), led by Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, Assistant Director-General of IOFS, and accompanied by Mr. Bakdaulet Yerkhanov, Program Manager, visited to the People's Republic of Bangladesh on 13–14 September 2025. The visit aimed to reinforce collaboration between IOFS and Bangladesh in the areas of food security, agricultural development, and innovation.
The visit coincided with the 3rd Youth Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology, jointly organized by North South University (NSU) of Dhaka, OIC-COMSTECH, and IOFS. The two-day event brought together policymakers, academics, researchers, and youth representatives from across the OIC region to address global food security challenges through innovative biotechnology solutions. The forum was officially opened with remarks delivered by Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, who highlighted the urgent need to harness genome editing technologies to build climate-resilient, sustainable agricultural systems and emphasized IOFS’s commitment to fostering ethical and transparent adoption of modern biotechnologies.
The forum focused on the theme “Genome Editing Technologies for Agriculture”, emphasizing the critical role of science-driven approaches in tackling issues such as climate change, population growth, and sustainable food production. Participants engaged in technical sessions and networking activities, sharing best practices and promoting the active involvement of young scientists in agricultural research and innovation. The event featured speakers and experts from OIC member states, including Bangladesh, Türkiye, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan, highlighting its strong international scope and collaborative spirit.
As part of the visit, the IOFS delegation held high-level bilateral meetings with the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Discussions focused on strengthening institutional partnerships, sharing technical expertise, and exploring joint initiatives in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, disaster-resilient farming, women’s empowerment in agriculture, and food safety systems.Key areas of collaboration included:
· At the Ministry of Food: enhancing cooperation on digital agriculture, rice production, post-harvest technologies, and regional food security frameworks, while acknowledging Bangladesh’s important role as an active IOFS
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The visit highlighted Bangladesh’s significant achievements in food self-sufficiency, agricultural innovation, and disaster management, positioning the country as a model for other OIC member states. Both sides expressed commitment to deepening cooperation to strengthen food security and agricultural resilience across the OIC region.
member and contributor to humanitarian initiatives.
· At the Ministry of Agriculture: promoting sustainable agricultural practices, technology transfer, integrated farming systems, and the development of climate-resilient crops to benefit OIC member states.
The visit highlighted Bangladesh’s significant achievements in food self-sufficiency, agricultural innovation, and disaster management, positioning the country as a model for other OIC member states. Both sides expressed commitment to deepening cooperation to strengthen food security and agricultural resilience across the OIC region.This visit reflects IOFS’s ongoing mission to foster South-South cooperation and build sustainable food systems through collaboration, innovation, and capacity-building among its 57 member states.
