Agrilife24.com:Dr. Md. Shahjahan Kabir, Director General, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) visited today (21 May) a zinc rice field of more than 140 ha in Vaturia union of Haripur Upazilla of Thakurgaon district. During the visit he has talked with the zinc rice farmers about the yield performance and strength and weakness of of zinc rice BRRI dhan74 in this Boro (irrigated season). The producers is replied that the yield of BRRI dhan74 is 7.1 ton/ha which is higher than any other inbreed variety in the boro (irrigated) season and the main strength of the variety is blast diseases resistance.
After that he participated in a farmer’s field day of zinc rice BRRI dhan74 as a chief guest in the same place. The field day was presided over by Md. Abdul Karim, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Horipur, Thakurgaon. Md. Naimul Huda Sarker-Upazila Agriculture officer, Horipur, Thakurgaon, Md. Rakibul Hasan, Senior Scientific Officer and Head, BRRI Regional Station, Rangpur; Md. Mozaharul Islam, Deputy Director (Seed Marketing), BADC, Dinajpur; Md. Abu Hussain, Deputy Director, DAE, Thakurgaon; Dr. Md. Khairul Bashar, Country Manager, HarvestPlus Bangladesh was present as special guest along with farmers and journalists. Dr. Md. Abu Salaque, Deputy Country Manager, HarvestPlus Bangladesh in his welcome all in the field day.
Zinc rice farmers Abdul Zalil Master, Sawkat Ali and Anamul sarker said that they got the yield of zinc rice more than the hybrid varieties.
Md. Rakibul Hasan, Senior Scientific Officer and Head, BRRI Regional Station, Rangpur in his special guest speech said that Bangladesh Rice Research Institute developed the first zinc rice variety in the world ever.
Dr. Md. Khairul Bashar, Country Manager, HarvestPlus Bangladesh said that one in three people globally suffer from hidden hunger, and women and children are especially vulnerable. The biofortified crops facilitated by HarvestPlus are developed through conventional (non-GMO) plant breeding methods. HarvestPlus is the technical partner for biofortification. HarvestPlus improves nutrition and public health by developing and promoting biofortified food crops that are rich in vitamins and minerals and providing global leadership on biofortification evidence and technology. HarvestPlus is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) and is based at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Dr. Md Shajahan Kabir, in his chief guest speech said that he is amazed to see the field of zinc rice and the awareness of farmers about zinc rice in vaduria union. He thanked to the producer of zinc rice for production and consumption of zinc rice in large scale. He added that the success of Bangladesh is independence and the 2nd is self sufficiency in food production. But not we need to ensure nutrition security and zinc rice is the best alternative to fulfil the zn requirement of people especially for the good and meritorious future generation, who will be the pathfinder of future Bangladesh.
After the field he have plan to visit Dui Vai Auto Rice Mill in Thakurgaon who is milling and commercializing zinc rice since 2018.
