Razzak emphasizes on quality of soil
DHAKA, Dec 5, 2020 (BSS) – Emphasizing the importance of soil for food and nutrition security of the people , the Agriculture Minister Dr M Abdur Razzak said the quality of soil must be maintained as human livelihoods and food security depend on sustainable soil management.
“Sustainable production system and grain productivity must be enhanced to ensure food and nutrition security…that is why the soil must be kept alive and the quality of the soil must be maintained not only in agriculture sector but also the fish, livestock and poultry food comes from the soil,” he said.
The Agriculture Minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on showcasing and soil care award function held on the occasion of World Soil Day today, said a press release.
“Due to industrialization, urbanization, construction of houses, construction of roads, the cultivable land is declining and climate change is another challenge for soil quality,” he said.
Razzak said, the Soil Resources Development Institute has been working hard to maintain the quality of soil and inventing new technologies through research to bring salty lands and lands in hilly areas under cultivation.
Later, the Agriculture Minister inaugurated ‘Soil Museum Software’ and unveiled the book ‘Land Degradation in Bangladesh’.
The Ministry of Agriculture organized the seminar at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital with the collaboration of Soil Resources Development Institute, Food and Agriculture Organization, Practical Action and Soil Science Society of Bangladesh.
The theme of this day was ‘Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity’.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sham Rezaul Karim and Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture M Mesbahul Islam, Bangladesh Representative of Food and Agriculture Organization Robert D. Simpson also spoke on the event held with Director General of Soil Resources Development Institute Bidhan Kumar Bhandar in the chair.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Sham Rezaul Karim distributed prizes among the winners of ‘Soil Care Award 2020’ as the chief guest in the technical session of the day.