Shykh Seraj making agriculture popular

From left, Media personality Shykh Seraj, Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak, Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman, Asian Development Bank official Parvez Imdad, Channel i Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagar, and Chandrabati Academy Executive Director Kamruzzaman Kajal with copies of the new book "Krishi o Unnyanchinta", authored by Seraj and published by Chandrabati Academy, at the Channel i office in the capital yesterday. Photo: Star

Media personality Shykh Seraj has been popularising agriculture among people through his television programmes while spreading knowledge about the latest agricultural innovations, speakers said at a book launch yesterday.
His programmes have also raised the issue of crop insurance and had an impact at the policy level to increase agriculture budget, they told the unveiling ceremony of Seraj's book "Krishi o Unnyanchinta" [Agriculture and Ideas of Development], published by Chandrabati Academy, at the Channel i office in the capital.
"In the book, I depicted the scenarios of villages which have fascinated me in the last two years. I portrayed the sorrows and happiness of the farmers' lives and anomalies in receiving their rights from the state," Seraj said, adding he tried to narrate the farmers' contributions  to the economy.
Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak said agriculture was a very risky sector because of its high dependence on nature. A flash flood can wash away crops, and the prices of agriculture produces at times drop so much that they do not even cover the labour cost, he added.
The minister noted that although the government gave agriculture the highest priority in the budget, it did not prioritise fishery and animal husbandry.
Mahfuz Anam, editor and publisher of The Daily Star, said Seraj had proved that it was possible to make journalism attractive by reporting on agriculture and the struggles of farmers' lives.
With Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman in the chair, the programme was also addressed by Channel i Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagar, painter Qayum Chowdhury and Asian Development Bank official Parvez Imdad.