Motia for new varieties of rice for food security
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
GAZIPUR, July 5 (BSS): Agriculture Minister Motia Chowdhury said new varieties of rice will have to be developed for ensuring food security.
The government will extend all out cooperation to strengthen agriculture friendly rice research programme, she told the inaugural function of a five-day annual research review workshop of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) in its auditorium here.
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture Alhaj Shawkat Momen Shahjahan, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Land AKM Mozammel Haque and BRRI Director (administration) Enamul Haque, among others, addressed the function with BRRI Director General Dr Md Abdul Mannan in the chair.
Motia said, "We should develop different unfavourable atmosphere tolerant varieties of rice including drought, salinity and submission for further increase of rice production in the country."
She underscored the need for inventing new varieties of rice for southern region of the country. With the population increase, the country will face more problems on meeting the demand for food.
The agriculture sector has to be given top priority for ensuring food security, she added. Criticising the trend of scientists' going abroad, Motia stated that the trend should be stopped as the scientists have great responsibility to the country.
Higher education and research coordinator of the BRRI Dr Saidul Islam presented the keynote paper at the workshop.
Nearly 300 representatives including scientists, experts, policymakers and officials of different government and non-government organisations are participating in the workshop.
The government will extend all out cooperation to strengthen agriculture friendly rice research programme, she told the inaugural function of a five-day annual research review workshop of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) in its auditorium here.
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture Alhaj Shawkat Momen Shahjahan, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Land AKM Mozammel Haque and BRRI Director (administration) Enamul Haque, among others, addressed the function with BRRI Director General Dr Md Abdul Mannan in the chair.
Motia said, "We should develop different unfavourable atmosphere tolerant varieties of rice including drought, salinity and submission for further increase of rice production in the country."
She underscored the need for inventing new varieties of rice for southern region of the country. With the population increase, the country will face more problems on meeting the demand for food.
The agriculture sector has to be given top priority for ensuring food security, she added. Criticising the trend of scientists' going abroad, Motia stated that the trend should be stopped as the scientists have great responsibility to the country.
Higher education and research coordinator of the BRRI Dr Saidul Islam presented the keynote paper at the workshop.
Nearly 300 representatives including scientists, experts, policymakers and officials of different government and non-government organisations are participating in the workshop.