Sustainability is a great concern in today's world. And in order to achieve something sustainable there must be a research environment within the country, and we must remain prepared to adopt any kind of technological innovations.
Numerous agricultural and livestock technologies have been developed in Bangladesh, but a very few of them are at farmers' level until now. Development of varieties of agricultural and livestock species along with different types of machine tools is making news among the researchers and media. But most of them remain unknown to the target groups and thus the very purpose behind such innovations remains defeated.
A national daily published a report about the development of a device that could be used for controlling insects and pests in the crop fields. This innovation does not deserve wide publicity as the innovated product lacks proper eco-friendly criterion and sustainable usefulness. Sustainability of any technology or product is a great concern at farm level. One can raise many questions e.g. how the machine can be used. If one or few farmers are using this device then the pests will move onto other farmers' crop fields and therefore massive infestation will be in those crop fields. Again, if all farmers would use the device then how could the ecosystem function? Where would be the functional part of the beneficial insects for successful pollination and other environmental issues?
We should develop something which must have scientific value and close co-ordination with its field objects where it could be applied in a proper way. It should not be just assembling some devices and trying to be in the forefront in the name of developing something which will be merely worth mentioning to the scientific world. What we innovate should be user friendly, eco-friendly and easy to transfer the technology to the farmers' hands and plausibly sustainable in the long run.
Sustainability is a great concern whereby it could be carried out for generations to come. Therefore, it must be robust for future generations as a technology to deal with modern agriculture. Furthermore, being a developing country Bangladesh should give up narrow thinking about the cheapest technology considering its long-term scientific implications. The economy of Bangladesh will not remain the same. It will move forward. Bangladesh can gain a lot from all its agricultural and livestock components.
Modern world is moving fast with good quality research for better utilisation of their agricultural resources. The market will be competitive for the quality products in future. Again, huge agricultural productions demand a lot of energy and fuel.
There will be numerous changes in the agribusiness sector for marketing farmers' produces both locally and internationally. In Bangladesh, we expect the onset of this kind of change when two 1000 MW Russian nuclear power reactors will be in operation from 2020.
Right from now, Bangladesh needs to think how to reshape all the components of our agricultural sector. Research and technology development needs investment. The technology adoption as well as transfer of technology needs investment too. Large investments are a must in Bangladesh's agricultural and livestock research for a huge healthy production.
It is time to think afresh for making proactive decisions. If the current situation prolongs, Bangladesh will be lagging behind in achievement in agricultural research, technology and viable stable modern market for agricultural produces. The government should undertake a robust plan targeting our highly potential researchers, young enthusiasts and farmers as well. We believe there is huge prospect ahead and the government and the stakeholders should focus in a way so that it could be achievable and sustainable in the long run.
The writer is a PhD researcher at Chungbuk National University
in South Korea.
rasel096@yahoo.com
Sustainability of local technology
Md Rasel Uzzaman | Published: March 29, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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