A Pioneer for Women in STEM: Sakina Khanam - Cultivating Excellence in Agriculture

Plant breeding and genetics researcher Mst. Sakina Khanam Ph.D. becomes the 'bti The Daily Star Stellar Woman' in the 'Agriculture' category in 2023. Stellar Women is a joint initiative by bti and The Daily Star to recognize young and emerging women from different sectors who are taking the nation forward with significant contributions.

According to a study conducted by Khulna Agricultural University researchers in 2022, Bangladesh is a country heavily reliant on the agricultural sector, of which women make 18.3% of the workforce. Women in agriculture do a disproportionate amount unpaid of work and are rarely credited for their efforts. Very few women have been able to make their mark, but Sakina Khanam rose to the occasion. With a career spanning more than three decades, her determination, effort, and a bit of luck led her to succeed against all expectations in a field where women are severely under-appreciated.

Hailing from Gaibandha, Sakina Khanam excelled academically, garnering scholarships that sustained her education until her post-doc. A setback in medical admissions led her to reluctantly accept admission at the Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh. Guided by skilled educators, her interest in agriculture blossomed. The way her mentors applied international knowledge to local agricultural research intrigued her.

Recognizing Bangladesh's climate challenges and growing population, Sakina saw the urgency for widespread climate-resilient crops with genetic enhancements. Her determination led to a stellar completion of her Masters in Genetics & Plant Breeding in 1997 on a National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship. Although offered a teaching role in Botany, she declined it to focus on plant genetics. She swiftly joined Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) as a researcher.

Sakina Khanam consistently requested to join the Plant Breeding Division at BINA, but it almost always had no vacancy. Despite having the right qualifications, there was a misconception that female researchers cannot visit the sites and hence conduct research on plant genetics properly without a hectic schedule. Sakina realized she had to prove herself further to break these barriers.

She received the MEXT Government scholarship from Japan in 2004 to pursue her Ph.D. from Kobe University, during which she studied wheat seedlings. She received fellowships from South Korea and Australia, but ultimately decided to do her post-doc study in South Korea on 'agronomically important characters of rice' through the KOSEF fellowship. She returned to BINA temporarily, and then went on to do another post-doc study in the UAE in 2013. After her post-doc was over, she rejoined BINA in the physiology department, still unable to shift to the plant genetics department.

In 2018, the Director of BINA recognized her potential and appointed her as the Principal Scientific Officer in the Plant Breeding & Genetics Division. Researching climate-resilient rice varieties presented numerous challenges—progress was slow, field work fell short of expectations, and uncertainty loomed. Yet, she persevered, developing a distinctive rice line: BINA Dhan-25, derived from BRRI Dhan-29. Tested across 10 locations in Bangladesh, this rice stands out—narrow like basmati, resilient to storms, non-aromatic, and demanding minimal fertilizers, pesticides, and water. Yielding around 7 to 8 tonnes per hectare and maturing quickly, it has become a sought-after choice for farmers and potential exporters. With the potential to enhance food security and benefit millions of farmers, BINA Dhan-25 has been available for cultivation since January 2022.

Sakina Khanam is currently working to promote BINA Dhan-25 among farmers and expansion through BADC. She is also working on cold-tolerant rice lines in the haor, char, and hilly regions in a separate project aimed to change livelihoods of local people, particularly women. She is the Principal Investigator of an IRRI-funded project on adaptation trials of submergent rice lines from the Philippines. Apart from rice, she has also worked on lablab beans, tomatoes, jute, wheat, dates, soybeans, and peanuts.

Sakina Khanam urges women to concentrate and prioritize their education no matter what. She encourages women to believe in themselves always. She thanks bti and The Daily Star for bestowing the title of 'Stellar Woman' to her, and hopes to bring about a positive revolution in the agriculture sector of Bangladesh.