The US embassy in Dhaka is ready to continue to support Bangladesh in adopting new technologies for mitigating the effects of climate change to ensure food security, said US Embassy's Charge d' Affaires Nathan Flook.
Speaking at a dialogue, Nathan Flook said using biotechnology, scientists can accelerate the rate at which they can introduce new plant varieties able to respond to changing environmental conditions.
Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Wahida Akter joined the dialogue on the Nexus of Climate Smart Agriculture and Innovative Biotechnology, said a press release on Monday.
Throughout the three technical sessions scientists, academics, regulators, and policy makers shared the newest policies and research related to biotechnology.
During the opening session Wahida Akter and Nathan Flook highlighted the importance of precision biotechnology to build climate resilience in the agricultural sector. Salinity intrusion, drought, and new pests have made it harder for farmers to produce food profitably, they opined.
Charge d' Affaires Flook underscored the importance of agricultural biotechnology as a safe tool to build resilience in agriculture and enhance global food security.
He noted that, "The Biden Administration has made safeguarding and supporting biotechnology innovation a priority," he said, adding that the U.S. regulatory system uses scientific risk-based procedures to enable farmers have access to new tools as quickly as possible.
As members of the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate and the Global Methane Pledge, the United States and Bangladesh have a shared mission to support farmers' livelihoods by being able to adapt to climate change.
Biotechnology has a role to play in mitigating the impacts agricultural production has on the climate, while increasing productivity. Charge d' Affaires Flook emphasized that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.