RAJSHAHI, Oct 23, 2021 (BSS)- Collaborative efforts of all government and

non-government organizations concerned has become crucial to boost the
production of oilseed and pulses to meet their gradually mounting demands in
the country.

   Transferring and disseminating the modern and high yielding varieties
among the grassroots farmers can be the best ways of attaining desired yield
in this field.

   Agricultural scientists and researchers came up with the observation while
addressing a daylong workshop titled "Suitable Technology Transfer of Oilseed
and Pulse Crops innovated by BARI" in Rajshahi today.

   Fruit Research Station (FRS) and On Farm Research Division (OFRD) of
Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) jointly hosted the workshop
at FRS conference hall in cooperation with Bangladesh Oilseed and Pulse Crop
Research and Development Project.

   Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Komolaranjan Das
addressed the opening ceremony as chief guest with FRS Principal Scientific
Officer Dr Alim Uddin in the chair.

   Director General of Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute Dr
Amiruzzaman, BARI Director (Planning and Evaluation) Dr Rina Rani Das,
Additional Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Shirajul
Islam and OFRD Chief Scientific Officer Dr Shahiduzzaman also spoke.

   Project Director Dr Abdul Latif Akanda gave an overview of the project
along with its objectives, implementation strategies and so far achievements
in terms of field level training and motivation.

   Among others, DAE Deputy Directors Abdul Awal and Nazrul Islam and Project
Coordinator of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) Jahangir Alam Khan
took part in the open discussion. OFRD Principal Scientific Officer Dr
Mazharul Anwar welcomed the participants.

  Terming the oilseed and pulses as less-irrigation consuming crops, the
discussants unanimously mentioned that expanding the cash crops farming in
the Barind area can be the appropriate means of lessening its gradually
rising pressure on underground water.

   Chief Guest Komolaranjan Das urged the attending scientists, extension
officials and farmers to boost the production of pulses like lentil, black
gram, grass-pea, chickpea, pea (motorshuti), winter mug-bean and pigeon-pea
and oil-seed like mustard, sunflower and sesame in the region following the
best use of modern technologies and natural resources.

   Prospects of boosting both acreage and yield of different varieties of
pulses and oilseed in the region, including its vast Barind tract, is seen
bright as suitable topography and climate conditions prevail.

   To materialize the existing prospects, more need-oriented measures should
be adopted to boost the farmers' level yield to meet the domestic
requirement, he added.

   Emphasis should be given on habituating the farmers with the modern
cultivation method along with using quality seed through establishing
projection plots of improved technologies for enhancing pulse output.