Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque on Thursday said that Bangladesh is laying importance on research and innovation for ensuring food and nutrition security by facing the adverse impacts of climate change.
He made the remark after attending the minister-level first session of the ongoing 36th Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific at a city hotel.
The minister called for inventing new species of crops and technology and expansion of those for building sustainable agro-food systems.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin, Agriculture Secretary Md Sayedul Islam and Food Secretary Nazmanara Khanum were present on the occasion.
Razzaque said that the target of this conference was to enhance greenery and ensure climate-resilient and digitized agriculture.
A total of 46 countries will discuss and share their experiences and success on the issue.
Noting that digitized agriculture was getting importance in this conference, the minister said that the government was also making strides to modernize the agriculture sector through commercialization, mechanization and agro-processing.
He said that digitization could play an important role in this arena from agricultural production to consumption in terms of providing suggestions to farmers, crop production, harvesting, storing, marketing and processing.
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The minister said that Bangladesh was getting huge accolades in the conference for its role in agricultural production, achieving self-reliance in food and ensuring food security.
“Other countries of the Asia-Pacific Region are considering Bangladesh as a role model,” he mentioned.
Speaking on the occasion, SM Rezaul Karim said Bangladesh was able to arrange the massive conference in spite of not having any previous experience.
It gave a message to the world that Bangladesh is no longer a country to stay backward, he said.
Md Shahab Uddin said that the conference would outline how production can be enhanced after facing the challenge of climate change. “It will be very conducive for Bangladesh,” he said on the third day of the 36th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific.
In the last two days, a senior official meeting was held with the participation of agriculture ministers of FAO member-states. Later, the minister-level session began on Thursday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the minister-level session at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the morning.
Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque was elected as chair in the first session.
