Mechanization and Biotechnology for Agricultural Development in Bangladesh

Begum Matia Chowdhury, Minister for Agriculture has stressed the need for farm machineries and biotechnological intervention for higher crop yield using reduced agrochemicals and production cost. During her inauguration of the Annual Research Review Workshop of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) as the Chief Guest on 09 March 2014, she urged the scientists to develop stress tolerant rice varieties to combat the perennial natural disasters and environmental hazards. She was happy to note that Bangladesh has gone forward with molecular breeding and genetic engineering in collaboration with IRRI in developing some varieties which are on field trials and others being developed at the laboratory.

She also declared that Bangladesh has joined the biotech crop countries this year with full precautionary measures for enhanced food production and poverty alleviation. Advocate A. K. Mozammel Hoque MP, Minister for Liberation War, Mr Md Zahid Hossain MP, Dr. Md. Kamal Uddin (BARC Chairman), Mr. Md. Abu Hanif (DG DAE) were present as the Special and Honourable Guests who also thanked the agriculturists for their contribution to food security and expected to develop new varieties to feed the growing population from. The workshop was well attended by around 500 scientists, academicians, policy planners, and journalists. The session was chaired by Dr. S. M. Nazmul Ahsan, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture who discussed the government activities in harnessing mechanization and use of biotechnological products, taking into consideration public/animal health, biodiversity and the environment.

For details of the conference and for biotechnology news from Bangladesh, contact Prof. Khondoker Nasiruddin of Bangladesh Biotechnology Information Center at nasirbiotech@yahoo.com.