BSS, Rangpur :
Enhanced cultivation of zinc-enriched rice ensures food and nutrition security increasing rice output and preventing deficiency of zinc, iron and vitamin-A for normal growth of children and increasing disease resistant capacity.
Experts said this at a farmers’ field day organised by RDRS Bangladesh to demonstrate farming results, technologies, methods and harvesting zinc-enriched BRRI dhan 62 rice in village Dakshin Balapara under Sadar upazila in Nilphamari Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari Mohammad Zakir Hossain attended the occasion and formally inaugurated harvest of the short duration zinc-enriched BRRI dhan62 variety rice at the field of farmer Abinash Chandra as the chief guest.
Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture (DAE) for Nilphamari Abdul Wazed attended the ceremony as the special guest and said prospect of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan-62 rice is bright as the short duration crop can be harvested in 90 to 100 days.
“Cultivation of BRRI dhan62 enables framers in cultivating four crops on the same land to meet nutritional demand in place of three crops only annually to further enhance crop intensification to ensure food security under adverse climate,” he added.
Additional Director (Crop) of the DAE for Nilphamari Aftab Hossain, Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Keramat Ali, Sub-assistant Agriculture Officer Rashidul Islam and farmers Abinash Chandra Roy and Amal Chandra also spoke
Programme Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh for Nilphamari Rashedul Arefin delivered welcome speech on the occasion participated by over 400 male and female framers of the area.
The NGO has been expanding farming technology, seed production, processing and storing of the high zinc-enriched BRRI dhan 62 rice at 350 exhibition plots in Rangpur, Nilphamari and Gaibandha under The HarvestPlus Challenge Programme.
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have been coordinating the technology dissemination process for ensuring seed production, processing and storing of the high zinc rice.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid delivered the keynote presentation narrating importance of the farmers’ field day.
He said over 40 percent children of the under-5 age group are malnourished and stunted while an estimated 44 percent children of the same age group are remaining at risk of zinc deficiency and 60 percent women suffering from malnutrition in Bangladesh.
