Farida for providing subsidies to fisheries, livestock sectors

Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter said on Friday that to ensure safer food for the people, the government should provide subsidies to the fisheries and livestock sectors-just as it does for crop agriculture.
She made the remarks on the second-day session of the four-day international conference and workshop titled "Political Commitment in Agriculture and Food", organised by the Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists Forum (BAJF) at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
The theme of the second-day event was "National Livestock Week: The role of livestock and fisheries in ensuring nutrition security." The session was moderated by BAJF General Secretary Abu Khalid and chaired by BAJF President Sahanoware Said Shaheen.
Farida Akhter said that Bangladesh should promote modern technology for local breeds. Local breeds in fisheries and livestock are very important and often better. They must be given priority.
She said that while agriculture receives subsidies, the fisheries and livestock sectors do not, even though these sectors are considered industries. Therefore, they also need subsidies.
Emphasising the importance of protecting local breeds, she said that although crossbreeding is done to get better size and quality, local breeds must not disappear. This needs careful attention.
She said that people should eat not just to fill their stomachs, but to maintain proper nutrition.
BAJF President Mr Shaheen said the forum expects several political and policy commitments for the fisheries and livestock sectors-such as restoring river fish populations, reducing the misuse of harmful pesticides, ensuring the quality of farmed fish, and taking clear steps to protect farmers' interests.
Md Zia Haider Chowdhury, additional director general of the Department of Fisheries and Director of the Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project, presented a paper on marine fisheries management and the blue economy.
He said that stock assessments, a complete database of fishermen, modern monitoring systems, and sustainable management plans are helping Bangladesh move quickly toward commercial and sustainable development of the blue economy.
Mosharraf Hossain Chowdhury, chairman of Astha Feed Industries Limited, said that fish feed produced in Bangladesh is now being exported to international markets, opening a new horizon for the country's export sector.
Dr FH Ansari, president of ACI Agribusinesses and Group Adviser of ACI Limited, urged strengthening the value chain. He said that if the agricultural value chain becomes stronger, middlemen's pressure on farmers will reduce, and food price volatility can also be controlled.

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