BSS, Dhaka :
Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury Sunday said the government with the support of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has undertaken a massive programme for agricultural development in the coastal areas of the country.
“Under the programme, a seven-year “master plan for agricultural development in the southern region of Bangladesh” was framed up in 2013 involving Taka 58,000 crore,” she said while replying to a tabled question of Tariqat Federation lawmaker M A Awal in the House.
In the master plan, four interventions (top, high, medium and low) under 26 programmes have been identified to face challenges in the agriculture sector in southern region aiming at ensuring food security of the people and upgrading their living standard.
Besides, she said, various programmes are being implemented in Luxmipur district under Disaster and Climate Risk Management in Agriculture and Expansion of Agriculture in Saline and Barren Land in seven districts in the coastal belt projects for agricultural development.
These programmes include cultivation of salinity-tolerant variety of paddy and salinity- tolerant BARI-6 pulse, use of improved burner in kitchen to reduce carbon emission, setting up of bio-gas plant, cultivation of salinity-tolerant crops and fruits, production and use of vermin compost, creation of social forestry, vegetable cultivation by ensuring optimum use of barren land and creating integrated family farm to ensure food security in the region.
