RAJSHAHI: Concerted efforts of all government and non-government entities concerned are very crucial to ensuring a reasonable and sustainable use of land and water, both surface and underground, to address the existing challenges of Barind region, reports BSS.

Time has come to stimulate innovative possibilities with building a shared understanding to amplify the potentials and reduce the adversities in the dried areas and measures should be strengthened to conserve environment and huge crops production.

The observation came at a strategy planning workshop styled “Barind Integrated Landscape Transformation Multi-Stakeholder Platform” in Rajshahi city on Tuesday.

Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) and Rural Development Academy jointly organized the workshop at BMDA conference hall in association with International Finance Corporation (IFC) and 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG).

Around 40 high-level representatives from regional public and private organization and civil society joined the daylong workshop discussing ways and means on how to improve the socio-economic condition of the Barind area.

Chaired by BMDA Chairman Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Asia and Middle East Regional Head of IFC Dr.  Bastiaan Mohrmann, former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University Prof Sattar Mondal, WRG Bangladesh Coordinator Saif Tanzim and Consultant Dr Azharul Haque as resource persons.

Former managing director of National Bank Limited Shariful Islam and BMDA Executive Director Abdur Rashid also spoke.

The meeting was told that the farmers are being encouraged to promote various cereal crops and vegetables farming instead of only Irri-Boro paddy on the dried land to face the water stress condition as its groundwater level has gradually been declining.

Dr Akram Chowdhury said farmers in the Barind area are being brought under time-fitting trainings and motivation to cultivate more less-irrigated crops to lessen the existing pressure on groundwater in the region comprising Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj districts.

Dr Sattar Mondal said protecting groundwater resources in the region and the high Barind tract in particular has become indispensable for making its agricultural system protected and sustainable to feed the country’s gradually increasing population.

To this end, careful use of ground and surface water in agriculture sector is necessary to attain food

sufficiency during the present day hazards of climate change.