Gazipur Correspondent
Bangaldesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) in Gazipur developed 558 high yielding varieties of 212 crops. Besides, it developed 1082 crop production technologies in the same time.
The information was disclosed in the central research review and planning workshop held at Kazi Badrudduza auditorium of the institute in Gazipur on Saturday.
Agriculture minister Dr. Abdur Razzak was the chief guest in the programme with director general of BARI Dr. Abul Kalam Azad in the chair.
Dr. Abdur Razzak said that the importance of agriculture in Bangladesh is immense. Agriculture is the biggest engine for poverty alleviation in the country. “Our economy, culture, social norms revolve around agriculture. About 60 to 70 percent of the people in the village are dependent on agriculture in some way. He said, we have challenge in the past to achieve self-sufficiency in granular food, but now our challenge is to achieve self-sufficiency in nutritional food. So, we have to introduce skills in preparation for the next day's programme,” he said.
He said that two acres of land has been allotted for Agriculture sector in Purbachal of Dhaka to build a central lab and agro processing center that will help to export agro based products. In every year, BARI authority arrange central review and planning workshop to evaluate the developed technologies and to take new research programme according to demand of the country. BARI sources said, the developed technologies and varieties are disease and stress resistance. Production of wheat, oilseed, pulse, potato, vegetables, spices and fruits have been increasing day by day using these technologies.
Agriculture minister Dr. Abdur Razzak MP inaugurated the workshop as the chief guest while the member of the parliamentary standing committee for Agriculture ministry Abdul Mannan MP and the secretary of the agriculture ministry Mohammed Nasiruzzaman were present as the special guests. The first director of the BARI and ameritas scientist Dr. Kazi M Badrudduza, director (Research) Dr. Mohammed Abdul Wahab, director (Support and service) Dr. Babu Lal Nag addressed among others.
Agricultural experts, scientists, former director generals, directors, chief scientific officers, representatives from government, non-government and international organizations and professors of different agriculture universities also participated in the inaugural session.
