The agriculture minister said BRRI dhan 118 seeds will be distributed in the haor region, while salt-tolerant rice, canal excavation and fisheries upgrades remain on the government agenda.
Bangladesh is working on new crop varieties to help farmers cope with untimely rainfall, floods, drought and salinity driven by climate change, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said on Saturday(1 Auguest).
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with officials of all offices and agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in Cumilla district at the Cumilla Circuit House, the minister said changing weather patterns were forcing changes in agricultural production.
He said the government had planned to supply seeds of a new rice variety, BRRI dhan 118, to farmers in the haor wetland region in the coming season. In the first phase, 30 tonnes of seeds will be distributed.
The newly developed rice varieties will be able to germinate more easily even in cold weather, reducing the risk of crop production being disrupted by adverse weather or low temperatures, the minister said.
“The crop will be harvested before the floods,” he said, adding that farmers would also be better able to cope with losses from flash floods and other natural disasters.
Asked by journalists about salinity in farmland, the minister said information that climate change was spreading salinity into agricultural land was correct.
The government is working to develop new salt-tolerant rice seeds for farmers in coastal areas, he said. These varieties will produce good yields even in saline conditions, increasing agricultural production in coastal regions and strengthening the country’s food security.
Amin Ur Rashid said the government would work to develop Cumilla, one of Bangladesh’s major eastern districts, into a key fish export hub by using its strong position in national fisheries production.
He said Cumilla is the country’s second-highest fish-producing district. The possibility of exporting fish through the Cumilla land port will be discussed with the commerce minister and the government will take all necessary initiatives, he added.
Turning to development in the fisheries sector, the minister said an initiative would be taken to build a permanent fish market or landing station in Cumilla to make fish marketing more modern and effective.
He said the supply of fish fry under government arrangements was also being considered seriously to reduce production costs for fish farmers.
The minister said the government was working to achieve full implementation of its canal excavation programme by next year.
Re-excavating canals will increase water retention capacity, reduce waterlogging and expand irrigation facilities in agriculture, which will have a positive impact on farm production, he said.
The agriculture minister also outlined government measures to support farmers affected by floods.
He said necessary agricultural inputs, including seeds, had been distributed among affected farmers. Vaccines for cattle and goats had also been supplied through government initiatives in flood-hit areas to help reduce losses in the livestock sector.
Those present included Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Rosie Akter, Obaidur Rahman Mondal, director of the field services wing of the Department of Agricultural Extension, Md Rowshan Alam, director of the planning, project implementation and ICT wing, Anwar Hossain, divisional director of the Department of Fisheries, Md Mizanur Rahman, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Cumilla, Md Samsul Alam, district livestock officer, Md Wahidur Rahman Majumder, district fisheries officer and officials from different district and upazila offices and agencies under the agriculture, fisheries and livestock ministries.
