The food minister, Abdur Razzaque, has urged the agronomists to come forward with their research works so that the country's 'unfavourable' lands can be used to boost food production and thus ensure food security.
He was speaking at the 10th daylong conference of Bangladesh Society of Agronomy at Bangladesh Research Institute in Gazipur on crop production under unfavourable ecosystem in Bangladesh on Saturday.
He said the government had taken various steps, including VGF and VGD and OMS programmes, to ensure food security of the people.
Razzaque mentioned that 52 lakh tonnes food grains were imported in the last fiscal year, of which 22 lakh tonnes were imported by the government while the rest by private sector.
The minister said the government would provide rice to 70,000 families during the Eid-ul Azha under the VGF programme.
He said the country had to import edible oil worth Tk 12,000 to Tk 13,000 crore every year. If 50 per cent of our total demand for edible oil could be fulfilled by local production in the country it would save the country's foreign exchange, he said.
He said food production could be raised through new innovations and researches by the agronomists to ensure food security for the country's booming population.
He emphasised utilising unfavourable ecosystem (Char, haor and hill areas) for raising food production.
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture ministry Shawkat Momen Shahjahan, MP, and committee member Abdul Mannan, MP were present at the conference as special guests.
