RANGPUR, Jan 27 (BSS): Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury on Saturday directed the officials concerned to spread and popularise water conserving technologies and expand cultivation of stress-tolerant crops.
"The agriculture scientists and researchers should engage with their sincere efforts in innovating of newer varieties of stress-tolerant crops to keep increasing trend of crops production amid climate change," she said.
The minister said this at a view-sharing meeting, jointly organised by regional offices of different departments and organisations under the Ministry of Agriculture, at conference room of the Deputy Commissioner here as the chief guest.
With Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Agriculturist Md Abdul Aziz in the chair, Director General of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute Agriculturist Dr Abul Kalam Azad and Director General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir also attended the meeting.
Regional Additional Director of the DAE Md Shah Alam presented the development and future plans of the agriculture sector in the region.
The minister laid emphasis on expanding cultivation of less water consuming crops like wheat and maize in the northern region and popularising tug wells for irrigating crop fields maintaining underground water level perfect.
For commercialisation of agriculture, she suggested for increasing cultivation of garden crops with rice so that the farmers could get more profits.
Citing example of processing of raw jackfruit and selling it in packets abroad, Matia sought cooperation of the private sector and non-government organisations for taking initiatives to export jackfruit after processing the same way.
She hoped that maize would become the second prime cereal in future as its production is being increased every year, directing officials concerned for further expanding farming of the less water consuming maize crop in the northern region.
"The maize grains are being used as food for the people as well as poultry and fish. Besides, the stems of maize can be preserved in special way to use as fodder for cattle during the rainy season," she said.
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