Expedite research to boost agri output for food security
PM urges agriculturists
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called upon the agricultural scientists to expedite research to boost agricultural production aiming at ensuring food security keeping in mind the country's huge population.
"We have to expedite our research so that we can produce more food in our limited farm lands as Bangladesh is losing agricultural lands due to population boom and natural disaster every year," she said.
Hasina was addressing the inaugural session of a two-day 4th National Convention of Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh on the institution premises in the city yesterday.
She said Bangladesh would be able to feed its people if it can produce adequate foods in the limited farmland. In this context, she asked the scientists to innovate more salinity, draughts and flood tolerant varieties to boost rice production.
"Not only that we have to increase our production so that we can export our rice after meeting our domestic demands," she added.
She said her government would provide all out support including offering various incentives to the researchers to conduct research in innovating new varieties of rice that could help increase production of food.
Mentioning success of her previous government (1996-2001) in agriculture sector, Hasina said her government in 98- 99 fiscal has created a new record in the country's food production by turning Bangladesh into a food sufficient country.
"We had been able to ensure food security in our 1996-2001 tenure due to your sincere efforts," she said and thanked the agriculturists and farmers in this regard. She said the main objective of her government is to strengthen rural economy for the overall development of the country.
Referring to global climate change, she asked all concerned including the agriculturists to play due role in protecting environment and bio-diversity.
In this context, she stressed reducing use of chemical fertiliser in farmland and increase use of organic fertiliser to protect fertility of croplands. Besides, she called upon all to take environment-friendly measurers in pest management.
Laying emphasis on providing adequate protein to the people, she asked all concerned to increase fish cultivation in the rivers, ponds and open water bodies to meet requirement of protein.
She said her government is implementing capital and maintenance dredging to restore navigability in the major rivers that would help boost food production in the country.
About the various programmes for development of the farmers, she said her government has given huge subsidy to the very vital agricultural sector and provided cards to the farmers so that the subsidy could reach them directly.
Apart from this, she said her government has set up agricultural universities for expansion of agri-education in the country. "We want to expedite agricultural trade along with introducing information technology in the agri- sector," she added.
Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Md Abdul Latif Biswas, Krishibid Institution Krishibid President Md Wasiuzzaman Akand and Secretary General Krishibid AFM Bahauddin Nasim addressed the inaugural function.
Seven agriculturists were awarded for their outstanding contribution to the agriculture sector.
Later, Hasina inaugurated the two-day convention by hoisting national flag and releasing pigeons and balloons.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments