Keeping in view the impact of long-term climate change on rice production researchers have suggested using modern production technology, ensuring optimum usage of limited resources and collaboration in order to innovate climate-friendly paddy production.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute’s (BRI) Principal Scientific Officer of the Department of Applied Research Biswajit Karmakar said, “Rice is our main food grain. Our success in rice research has been widely praised abroad. We have been able to set a record in rice production even during the epidemic. One step ahead, Bangladesh ranks third in the world in rice production.”
However, he said, Covid, cyclones, and floods were expected to have a negative impact on paddy production this year. “We have to strengthen our research collaboration to mitigate the climate change impact on affected lands, especially on the basis of variant of land, soil climate, and climate change,” he added.
Referring to climate change impact on agriculture Kamala Ranjan Das, additional secretary (Research) of the Ministry of Agriculture said, “One-fifth of the total paddy produced in Bangladesh comes from Haor region. But due to the impact of climate change, paddy cultivation in the region is facing extreme challenge.”
“Under this condition, short life, cold tolerant and high yielding varieties of paddy are required to be cultivated in Haor area. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) have an important role to play in ensuring food security in Bangladesh,” he said.
He believes that the joint study by IRRI and BRRI will change the livelihoods of farmers, as well as play an important role in food and nutrition security.
Citing several challenges ahead Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) Director-General Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir said that the amount of our cultivable land is decreasing at the rate of 0.4% annually, but the population is increasing at the rate of 1.37%. In addition, the impact of climate change is repeatedly challenging our food security.
In the northeastern part of Bangladesh, there is only one crop yield per year on 12.5 lakh hectares of land, that is Boro. But due to the slope of the hill, the crop is often damaged, threatening food security.
He also said “That is why we are trying to invent short-lived cold-tolerant varieties of rice. To this end, BRRI has already collected cold-tolerant varieties of Germplasm from South Korea, Japan, and Nepal, which have been characterized.”
He further added that researchers and engineers are dedicated to inventing new rice varieties. All the facilities including the headquarters have been ensured to meet the challenge. Modern Germplasm Bank, 20 laboratories, ten greenhouses, ten net houses and testing grounds (headquarters) have been set up. Scientists are working to innovate sustainable, safe, and profitable rice technology. Given our limitations, they are helping to achieve sustainable food security.
