Agriculture graduates should be prepared to climate-resilient: Minister

8th convocation of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) in Mymensingh

Agriculture graduates should be prepared to develop climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural systems. 

Agriculture Minister Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak said that in order to sustain agricultural production and food security in the future by facing various challenges including land reduction, population growth, climate change, climate-tolerant and high-yielding crop varieties and modern farming methods should be developed and spread among farmers quickly.

``At the same time, the use of robotics, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, internet of things, drones, etc. in agriculture and skills in precision and vertical agriculture should be increased. The graduates of the agricultural universities of the country have to prepare themselves by acquiring skills in these subjects’’, he added.

The Minister said these in the President's speech at the eighth convocation of Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh on Sunday morning.

The minister said that the country's agricultural universities should play a key role in preparing agricultural graduates to build a sustainable and climate-tolerant agricultural system in the future. Therefore, the curriculum of agricultural universities should also be improved and modernized. The teachers should come forward to make the new agriculturists competent in that way.

He said that in the last financial year 2021-22, the production of rice increased to 4 crores 4 lakh metric tons, which has crossed the all-time record. In the last 14 years, the production of rice has increased by 29%, wheat by 37%, maize by 671%, potatoes by 110%, pulses by 328%, vegetables by 645%, and onions by 395%.

The minister said that the people of the country can now eat their fill due to the amazing success achieved in agricultural production. 

``No one goes without food even in the midst of hundreds of disasters including corona, natural disasters, and wars. There has been no food crisis in the last 14 years.'' He said.

Dr. Razzak said graduates of agricultural universities of the country are working tirelessly behind the incredible success that is visible in the agricultural sector today.