DHAKA, Dec 5, 2023 (BSS) - Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque today said it's a big challenge to meet the food demand of growing population as soil fertility, arable land and water sources are dwindling gradually in the country.

He said this while addressing a seminar, soil care award conferring ceremony and soil day prize distribution marking the World Soil Day at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium in the city's Farmgate area.

Highlighting different government measures in agriculture sector, Razzaque said once people had to strive for food in northern region of the country but now the situation has changed because of the government's timely initiatives to boost agriculture to ensure food security.

Putting emphasis on soil management, the minister said saline soils occupy the country's 12,50,000 hectors of land as around 30 lakh hectors lands are in coastal areas.

So, if we can make proper management of saline soils, there will be surplus of food grains, he said.

Later, the minister distributed Soil Care Award 2023, Soil Olympiad and Soil Day Prizes among the winners and uncovered a book titled "Land and Soil Resources Utilization Guide".

Agriculture secretary Wahida Akhter, BARC executive chairman Sheikh Md Bakhtiar, additional secretary Mahbubul Haque Patwari and Soil Resources Development Institute director general Jalal Uddin also spoke.