BRRI is contributing to raise food output constantly developing varieties of rice through painstaking research despite various constraints, helping farmers grow more to feed the nation despite shrinking of lands by 240 hectares annually. Agro-Scientists, however, warns that the success must be retained to maintain the output, inventing newer varieties of high yielding crops, specially rice, the main staple of the nation.
Lack of incentives for these scientists led to their brain drain, harming the march of success.
Do not neglect the farm sector, but raise budgetary allocations for Agriculture and research without political interference to ensure the food security, Agro-scientists urges the government in an Independent roundtable Saturday.
The scientists raised their demands for institutional promotions, increase in the service age to 65 years, as in universities, and special pay scales, as in other countries.
The scientists pointed out that BRRI requires massive reforms with respect to human resources and structural developments, so as to face new challenges. Both the government and policy-makers have to gear up now, to confront the challenges that will arise after 50 years. The BRRI has to make plans to ensure that it can feed the population of 25 crore, or 250 million people, in future, by developing high-yielding varieties, the scientists observed.
Shahnoor Wahid, managing editor of The Independent, delivered his inaugural speech, while Dr Maswoodur Rahman Prince, editor of Stethoscope, gave the vote of thanks.
The BRRI has developed different varieties of rice that can withstand adverse environments. Rice has to encounter a number of environmental adversaries, such as, droughts, floods, flash floods, submergence, salinity and extreme temperatures.
Bangladesh has three main rice crop seasons: aus, aman and boro. Aus and aman rice are mainly grown under the rainfed ecosystem. BRRI scientists are in the process of developing some varieties like BR20, BR21, BR24, BR27, BRRI dhan42 and BRRI dhan43 for upland conditions. These varieties have some tolerance for avoiding water stress through elongated roots. Unfortunately, this eco-friendly type of rice culture has significantly lost its area to irrigated rice culture i.e. boro.
-With The Independent input
