RANGPUR: Experts at a workshop here have put importance on enhancing cultivation of short duration Aus rice to gradually replace cultivation of more irrigation water consuming Boro rice for ensuring food security, reports BSS.

They made the opinion at the workshop styled ‘Enhancing Aus Rice Cultivation in Rangpur-Dinajpur Regions’ held at the auditorium of the Department of Agricultural Marketing in the city on Saturday, a press release said today.

Rangpur Regional Station of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) organised the workshop presided over by Director General of BRRI Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir.

A total of 150 participants including Deputy Directors and Upazila Agriculture Officers of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), officials and scientists of BRRI, Agriculture Information Service, research organisations and NGOs and farmers from all over Rangpur division took part.

Additional Secretary (Research Wing) to the Ministry of Agriculture Md Fazle Wahed Khondker attended the workshop as the chief guest.

Director (Field Service Wing) of the DAE Md Abdul Hannan and Director (Admin and General Service) of BRRI Dr Ansar Ali addressed the event as special guests.

Principal Scientific Officer (PSO) of Rangpur Regional Station of BRRI Dr Md Abu Bakar Siddique Sarker delivered keynote presentation narrating importance of enhancing less irrigation water consuming Aus rice cultivation in Rangpur-Dinajpur regions.

Taking part in the discussion, farmer Abdullah Al Mamun of Pirganj upazila in Rangpur narrated his Aus rice farming experience and said, “Cultivation of Aus rice using rain water is easier and more profitable.”

The chief guest said, “Rice farming is directly related to our national food security and we must put importance on expanding cultivation of less irrigation water consuming Aus rice to increase food production amid changing climatic conditions.”

He directed the field level agriculturists, agriculture researchers and agriculture extension officials for taking necessary initiatives to increase land area for Aus rice cultivation and production of Aus rice.

Dr Shahjahan Kabir suggested for enhancing cultivation of BRRI-evolved Aus rice varieties like BR-48, BRRI dhan42, BRRI dhan43, BRRI dhan65 and BRRI dhan83 using direct seeding method and BRRI dhan26, BRRI dhan27, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan82 and BRRI dhan85 using seedling transplantation method to get maximum yield.

He put emphasis on popularising cultivation of Aus rice using unused seasonal rain water during May, June and July as a substitute cereal crop to costly Boro rice for increasing rice production without hampering Aman cultivation.