BSS, Rajshahi :
Promotion of adequate fruit trees is very important for ensuring nutritional demands coupled with food security, ecological balance and biodiversity, speakers at a discussion said.
Highlighting various significances of the fruit and fruit trees in terms of the present social and national aspects they put emphasis on transforming the tree plantation campaign into a social movement.
The speakers made this observation while addressing the inaugural session of a five- day Fruit Tree Fair-2014 organized by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) at Green Plaza of City Bhaban here Monday.
Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed, who addressed the session as the chief guest, stressed extensive tree plantation to improve environment and biodiversity to make the region habitable for all.
With Deputy Commissioner Mejbah Uddin Chowdhury in the chair, DAE Deputy Director Abul Kalam Azad, chief engineer of Rajshahi City Corporation Ashraful Haque and divisional officer of Social Forestry Azit Kumar Rudra also spoke.
“Expansion of the country’s forest area up to 25 percent of the total landscape through extensive tree plantations will protect the country from possible alarming consequences of the ongoing climate changes,” said the chief guest.
Explaining various beneficial aspects of trees and homestead gardening in human life, he urged all to plant at least three tree saplings around their homesteads to help maintain environmental and ecological balance.
He termed the tree plantation as a big investment and said many people have been changing their lots through establishing nurseries and making orchards garden at present. On the occasion, DAE District Training Officer Mustafizur Rahman presented a keynote paper on “Contribution of Fruit and Fruit Trees in Poverty Reduction and Nutritional Security” emphasizing the need for providing all possible assistances towards fruit farming for boosting its yield.
