Higher yield from limited land
Friday, 5 November 2010
A revolution in food grain production can be achieved in Bangladesh, if only the areas sown with higher yielding seeds are expanded to cover 60 per cent of the farmland instead of the present 20 per cent. In that case, it should be possible to produce an additional 30 million tons of rice.
The government through its related corporation is presently the biggest supplier of the high yielding variety of seeds followed by organisations in the private sector. Capacities of both the corporation and the private sector should now be bolstered to produce the high yielding seeds in far greater quantities and to distribute the same efficiently. Furthermore, the governmental agencies dealing with agriculture should carry out programmes to enthuse the farmers to opt for the higher yielding seeds.
Apart from the application of higher yielding seeds, changes must be brought about in the management of irrigation water. Recently, it was found out that excess water is now wasted on irrigation when better results, in terms of productivity, can be achieved from using less water. Research to develop seeds to withstand drought, floods and salinity is now going on. Seeds developed to meet such physical situations will have to be popularised and extensively used in areas prone to these conditions.
Farmers are also found excessively using urea fertiliser when they can use far less amount to get the same or better results. Thus, they need to be trained on using the inputs correctly.
In all sectors of agricultural production, new and innovative techniques will have to be encouraged to promote higher productivity from the limited land.
Abdur Rashid
DOHS,
Dhaka
The government through its related corporation is presently the biggest supplier of the high yielding variety of seeds followed by organisations in the private sector. Capacities of both the corporation and the private sector should now be bolstered to produce the high yielding seeds in far greater quantities and to distribute the same efficiently. Furthermore, the governmental agencies dealing with agriculture should carry out programmes to enthuse the farmers to opt for the higher yielding seeds.
Apart from the application of higher yielding seeds, changes must be brought about in the management of irrigation water. Recently, it was found out that excess water is now wasted on irrigation when better results, in terms of productivity, can be achieved from using less water. Research to develop seeds to withstand drought, floods and salinity is now going on. Seeds developed to meet such physical situations will have to be popularised and extensively used in areas prone to these conditions.
Farmers are also found excessively using urea fertiliser when they can use far less amount to get the same or better results. Thus, they need to be trained on using the inputs correctly.
In all sectors of agricultural production, new and innovative techniques will have to be encouraged to promote higher productivity from the limited land.
Abdur Rashid
DOHS,
Dhaka