Field level officials and staff of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of Rajshahi on Sundayhave been urged to transfer the bio-rational based pest management technologies to the farmers to make them knowledgeable about producing safe food.
As they are the pioneers to disseminate the innovated technologies to the grassroots farmers they have to take the responsibility of making aware about the bio-pesticide method.
Large-scale promotion of biorational pest management in the farming of fruit and vegetables has become crucial for protecting the public health from harmful impacts of toxic chemical pesticides.
Agricultural scientists and researchers came up with the observations while addressing a regional workshop titled "Bio-rational Based Pest Management Technology Transfer" at the DAE conference hall in Rajshahi city.
Entomology Division of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) hosted the programme in association with its ‘Development and Expansion of Bio-rational-based Integrated Pest Management Technologies of Vegetables, Fruits and Betel Leaf’ project.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Komolaranjan Das addressed the workshop as chief, while Director of Bangladesh Sugar Crop Research Institute DrSamajit Kumar Pal, Deputy Director of DAE Abdul Awal spoke as special guests with DrDebasishSarker, Director of Pulse Research Centre, in the chair.
BARI Principal Scientific Officers DrAlim Uddin and DrJagadish Chandra Barman also spoke.
Chief Scientific Officer of the Entomology Division DrNirmal Kumar Datta portrayed the aspects of promoting biorational based pest management technologies during his keynote presentation.
DAE officials from various upazilas and unions joined the workshop sharing their views on the issue besides putting forward a set of recommendations on how to remove the existing problems and anomalies in this field.
Komolaranjan Das urged the participants to motivate the growers to follow only the guidelines of the field level agricultural officials and scientists instead of any insecticide dealers and sellers during the fruit and vegetable farming from its nursing to harvesting for the sake of a sound public health and environment.
Using chemical pesticides in farming fields is always harmful to soil and public health, crops and environment. So, there is no way but to give utmost importance towards promoting biorational pest management widely.
DrDebasishSarker told the meeting that BARI has developed a number of bio-rational-based integrated pest management technologies of fruit and vegetable and has been expanding those to farmers level through various training and motivational programmes.