The government has taken up a project worth Tk 438 crore to increase food output by bringing every inch of land under cultivation and face future demand for food..
Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque said this while speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of the annual general meeting of the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Krishibid Samiti at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Saturday.
He said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is farmer-friendly. Under her leadership, the present government is working relentlessly with utmost importance on agriculture development. In order to cope with the food crisis in the pandemic situation, a project worth Tk 438 crore has been taken recently to bring every inch of land under cultivation.”
Urging the officials of BADC to play a stronger role in the production and distribution of seeds of new varieties of crops, the Agriculture Minister further said “BADC has an important role to play in procurement and distribution of agricultural inputs including seeds and fertilizers in the country. Our researchers and scientists have already invented many advanced varieties of seeds and technologies. Seeds of these varieties need to be produced quickly and distributed at the farmer-level.”
“We have become self-sufficient in food. Now I am working to ensure safe and nutritious food. To achieve that, agriculturists have to play a more rigorous and strong role”, the minister added.
Special guests on the occasion were Biman Bangladesh Airlines Chairman and former Senior Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Sajjadul Hasan, Agriculture Ministry Senior Secretary Md. Mesbahul Islam, BADC Chairman Dr. Amitabh Sarkar and additional secretary of the Ministry of Finance Md. Nazrul Islam. BAPC Krishibid Samiti president Ripon Kumar Mandal presided over the function, while it’s general secretary Pradeep Chandra Dey and organizing secretary Sanjay Roy also spoke on the occasion.
