RANGPUR, Oct 22, 2023 (BSS) - Experts at a workshop have emphasized on using 
research findings at farmers' level to further increase output of various 
nutrient-rich crops as arable land area continues to shrink amid changing 
climate in the country.

Rangpur Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) of Bangladesh 
Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) organised the event titled "Research-
Extension-Farmer Engagement" on BARI-innovated varieties and technology 
extension to address agricultural challenges in Rangpur division at its 
seminar room on Saturday.

Director General (Seed) and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture 
Md. Abu Zubair Hossain Bablu attended the workshop as the chief guest with 
Director General of BARI Agriculturist Dr. Debasish Sarker in the chair.

Additional Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) for 
Dinajpur region Agriculturist Md. Shamim Ashraf and its Additional Director 
for Rangpur region Agriculturist Md. Aftab Hossain were present as special 
guests.

Scientists, officials and experts and representatives of BARI and all other 
agriculture-related departments, institutions and organisations under the 
Ministry of Agriculture, NGOs, seed and agricultural equipment marketing 
companies, agricultural entrepreneurs from Rangpur division participated in 
this workshop. 

Chief Scientific Officer of RARS of BARI at Burirhat Agriculturist Dr. Ashis 
Kumar Saha said most of the agricultural land is sandy loam and loam in 
Rangpur division where irrigation water is available with good drainage 
facilities and a longer winter. 

"There is a prospect of year-round production of profitable crops, spicy and 
high-valued crops and vegetables, fruits and flowers and seed by adopting 
healthy crop rotation in the division where two crops are generally 
cultivated in four-lakh hectares of land," he said.
 
To increase production of oilseed crops, Rangpur division can play a very 
important role in meeting shortage of oilseed crops through extensive farming 
of BARI Shorisa-14, 17 and 20 during the off-season between Aman rice and 
Boro rice cultivation.

"We are implementing our developed 'Onion seed-Ropa Aush Paddy-Ropa Aman 
Paddy' cropping pattern alongside working to promote profitable crops based 
on onion production from onion sets, winter onion and summer onion to 
increase onion output," he added. 

Scientists presented four research papers on 'Agricultural technology 
suitable for Teesta and Jamuna Chars of Rangpur region, 'Advanced and more 
profitable year-round four-crop and three-crop technologies', 'Rangpur region 
suitable spice crop varieties and production technology' and 'Effective 
management of harmful diseases of various crops in Rangpur region' in the 
event.

The chief guest said: "Importance should be given to increase yield of crops 
using our research findings," he said, and called for ensuring easy access of 
farmers to quality seeds to reduce import dependency.

Later, he distributed high yielding vegetable seeds developed by BARI for 
winter vegetable crops to agricultural entrepreneurs free of cost.