Boosting tuber crop production stressed

RANGPUR, May 12 (BSS): Agriculture experts at a training here have stressed the need for enhancing production of tuber crops and changing food habit to reduce pressure on rice as well as meet nutritional demand of the growing population.
The emphasis came at a training organised by the DAE-wing of the Tuber Crop Development Project for the agriculturists at the office of Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) on progress in the Tuber Crop Development Project and Future Work Plan on Monday.
A total of 30 agriculture officers and agriculture extension officers from 15 upazilas of Gaibandha, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts took part in the training.
Acting Regional Additional Director of the DAE Zulfiquer Haider attended the training as the chief guest with Rangpur District Training Officer of the DAE Mokbul Hossain in the chair.
Kurigram District Training Officer of the DAE Bidhu Bhushan Roy addressed the workshop as the special guest while Project Director of the Tuber Crop Development Project Dr Abul Hossain delivered welcome address.
In his address, Dr Abul Hossain said the Tuber Crop Development Project had  been being implemented by the Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and DAE in six districts of the country since 2010.
Implementation of the project will be completed by June, 2016 in Gaibandha, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts under Rangpur Agriculture Region and Barguna, Patuakhali and Bhola districts in the southern region of the country.
By this time, 3,000 exhibition plots of tuber crops like sweet potato, tree potato, 'Pani Kochu', Mukhi Kochu' 'Ol Kochu' and cassava have been set up involving 35,000 farmers.
About 1,050 farmers' field schools were formed and 200 agriculturists were imparted training so far, he added.
The tuber crops have been cultivated on 15,000 hectares of land in these six districts in the current season and over 0.27 million tonnes of crops were produced during the 2014-2015 season, he said.
Taking part in the discussion, the speakers discussed importance of producing, preserving, distribution and management of quality seeds of the tuber crops to increase productions by 20 to 25 per cent.
They also requested the researchers and scientists to develop technologies for production, preservation and management of quality seeds.
In his address, the chief guest laid emphasis on conducting more research on innovation of time-befitting seed and agriculture technologies and proper dissemination of those among the farmers to increase production of tuber crops to ensure food security.