Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque said that the country has achieved unprecedented success in the agriculture sector as a result of adopting and implementing the agriculture-friendly policy of the government under the strong leadership and foresight of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He said that, rice production has increased more than four times in the last 50 years since independence. The rice production was only 10 million metric tonnes in 1971-72, but it has increased to about 40 million metric tonnes in 2020, he added.
Razzaque said the country that once faced food shortage, is now self-sufficient in food.
The minister made the statements while addressing a virtual discussion on “Transformation of climate-resilient agriculture and food system during Covid situation”, organized by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) from the conference room of the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday afternoon.
“The country has come a long way not only in the total production of rice, but also in the productivity of rice”, he said.
He further mentioned that the average production of rice per hectare in 1991 was 1.71 tonnes and in 2020 rice production per hectare has increased to four tonnes on average. This success has been achieved due to the innovation of improved crop varieties and technologies through agricultural research, subsidies given for agricultural equipment and its availability, ensuring balanced use of fertilizers, expansion of irrigation facilities, and adaptation of appropriate agricultural technologies to adapt to global climate change, he added.
Dr Razzak further said that the agriculture of South Asia will be affected to a great extent due to climate change. “This will weaken the food system in South Asia. To address this challenge, we need to work together to innovate climate-resilient agricultural technologies”, he added.
“Works are being done in full swing to increase the productivity of agriculture by tackling the effects of climate change, increasing productivity, and developing high-quality varieties and technologies that are resilient to adverse conditions”, he added.
Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Md Mesbahul Islam, Additional Secretary Md Ruhul Amin Talukder, IRRI representative for South Asia Dr Nafees Meah, and representatives of different countries including Research Director Ajay Koli, participated in the dialogue.
IRRI organized the dialogue for South Asian countries, ahead of the “UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) 2021” in September.
The countries highlighted the achievements in agriculture, the current situation, and future challenges in the dialogue. The recommendations of this discussion will help formulate international policies and conduct programs at the summit.
