PM asks agriculturists to carry on research for increased yield

While inaugurating the Bangabandhu-Pierre Trudeau Agricultural Research Center at BRRI Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked agriculturists to carry on their efforts to increase food yield keeping in mind the adverse global circumstances and climate change.  The premier, however, acknowledged that Bangladesh not only set an example in food grain production, but also in different kind of vegetables, fruits and other agricultural products.

The government has undertaken an initiative to cultivate every inch of land so that there is no shortage of food in the country. The aim of the initiative is to increase food production by bringing vast uncultivated lands under cultivation and to reduce import dependence. Also, the government has already taken a plan to increase crop production in fallow lands in the char areas of the country.

All concerned including scientists, researchers and 

agriculture officials should put forth their 

concerted efforts to boost paddy 

yield to feed the gradually increasing 

population of 

the country

Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in terms of food production and being self-sufficient in food production is indeed a great achievement for a country of 17 million people where more than 1252 people live per square kilometre. 

The incumbent government approved the National Agriculture Policy 2018 with a view to achieving sustainable food and nutrition security through an efficient utilisation of the natural resources. We have tripled our rice production over the last few decades. We have seen substantial growth in agro-production, we have invented high-yield crops and consequently all the sub-sectors including fisheries, animal farming and processed agro-food have underscored remarkable growth that indicates a sustainable food system.

All concerned including scientists, researchers and agriculture officials should put forth their concerted efforts to boost paddy yield to feed the gradually increasing population of the country. Prudent measures are necessary to sustain and increase the current state of food production. It needs no emphasising that in order to make our production growth sustainable we need to adopt advanced technologies in the agriculture sector. In this regard, the government should take necessary steps to involve private sector and increase its investment in research and development of new technologies.