The most critical activity of TRTs is the development of the Plan of Action (PoA) for the implementation of the National Food Policy. An important background exercise to the formulation of the Plan of Action has been the review of the National Food Policy and related policy documents such as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for Bangladesh whose outcome is a comprehensive document: National Food Policy: from formulation to Plan of Action – A review of food security-related policies. Under each thematic area, the review identified linkages and consistency of NFP strategies with on-going and newly formulated food security-relevant policies and programs, as well as responsible agencies.
 
On the basis of this strategic mapping, TRTs focused on identifying NFP interventions, indicators, and other key inputs to the elaboration of the PoA. In developing the PoA, particular attention is being paid to ensuring participation of all relevant stakeholders at various stages of the development process. To this end, all concerned ministries were requested to provide the Technical Assistance Team of the NFPCSP information regarding their Ministries to serve as inputs to the PoA. This allowed for a first draft of the PoA to be formulated. The next step was then to organize seminars - which took place in the course of March and April 2007- to ensure further involvement of all main stakeholders in the design of the PoA and integration of their views in the final product. In addition to raising awareness, discussions helped clarifying areas of intervention, definition of policy targets, indicators and priority actions. The PoA Matrix was subsequently revised by small working groups of selected FPMU/TRT officials in relation to specific PoA areas of intervention.

A first draft of the PoA, incorporating the revised Matrix and a narrative summarizing NFP policy thrusts, the PoA development process, action agenda, implementation and monitoring guidelines, was produced during April-May and discussed in a “Technical workshop on the draft National Food Policy Plan of Action” at the end of May. This workshop brought together about 60 representatives of partner ministries, including local representatives, NGOs, academia and Development Partners. The draft PoA was revised based on discussion outcomes and submitted to the FPWG meeting held in July 2007. The meeting endorsed the draft PoA, subject to some amendments which were subsequently reflected in a revised version including provisions on the possibility of periodically revising the PoA based on monitoring outcomes, and mainstreaming of PoA priorities into national/sectoral planning and budgeting.

This draft is currently under review by senior officials of partner ministries/divisions represented in the FPWG/FPMC, before it is formally presented to the FPMC for approval.