\\\'Zinc-enriched rice meets nutritional demand\\\'

FE Team | Published: May 24, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

RANGPUR, May 23 (BSS): Agriculture experts have stressed on enhancing cultivation and consumption of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan64 rice to meet nutritional demand of children for their normal growth increasing disease resistant capacity.
They were addressing a farmers' field day organised by RDRS Bangladesh, an NGO, on Wednesday to demonstrate farming results, technologies and harvesting BRRI dhan64 rice in village Kanudaspara under Mithapukur upazila here.
The NGO has been expanding farming technology, seed production, processing and storing of the rice at 200 exhibition plots in Rangpur, Nilphamari, Dinajpur and Gaibandha under The HarvestPlus Challenge Programme this season.
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have been coordinating the technology dissemination process for ensuring seed production, processing and storing of the high zinc rice.
Deputy Commissioner Farid Ahammad attended the occasion and inaugurated
harvest of the zinc-enriched BRRI dhan64 rice at the field of farmer Russell
Pradhan as chief guest
With Chairman of local Durgapur union parishad Rabiul Islam Pramanik in the chair, Programme Manager (Filed Coordination) of RDRS Bangladesh for Rangpur Merina Ahmed delivered welcome speech.
Project Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh for Rangpur Rashedul Islam narrated goals of field day, farming technology, agronomical managements and other issues for enhancing cultivation of BRRI dhan64 rice.
He said 40 percent children of the under-5 age group are malnourished and stunted while an estimated 44 percent children of them are remaining at risk of zinc deficiency and 60 percent women suffering from malnutrition in Bangladesh.
The people in Bangladesh mainly depend on rice for meeting majority of their vitamin and mineral requirements and general rice does not contain enough micronutrients required for normal growth of the children and leading healthy productive life.