Agriculturists at a farmer’s training course have stressed expanding cultivation of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan74 rice taking its rich nutritional value into consideration to meet nutritional demand of common people. “Consumption of zinc-enriched rice prevents deficiency of zinc, iron and vitamin-A of the people of all ages … So zinc-enriched rice cultivation should be increased,” said Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) here Dr Md. Sarwarul Haque in the training course as the chief guest.

The DAE jointly with RDRS Bangladesh organised the training on “Zinc Rice Varieties and Benefit of Zinc” at training room of Upazila Agriculture Office in Pirganj upazila here on Monday, a press release said today. The event was arranged with assistance of HarvestPlus to demonstrate technologies for cultivation, seed production and storing of high zinc-enriched rice varieties in northern Bangladesh as a local implementing partner of HarvestPlus Programme.

HarvestPlus is a part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Programme on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health based at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) at Washington DC.

Twenty-five male and female farmers participated in the event presided over by President of Barodorga Union Farmers’ Federation Rawshanara Begum.Pirganj Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Taposh Kumar Roy was present as special guest. Agriculture Officer of RDRS Bangladesh Shah Md. Ashik Un Nur discussed cultivation technologies and benefits of consumption of zinc-enriched BRRI dhan74 rice in meeting nutrition of common people.