The Financial Express, 29 July 2012
RANGPUR, Jul 28 (BSS): The cultivation of flood-tolerant variety paddies has already become popular among the farmers after repeated successes they achieved in recent years ushering in a new era in the country’s agriculture sector and food security.
Over 14 lakh farmers would bring 1.62 lakh hectares of land under flood-tolerant paddy farming this time in the country, Country Manager (CM) of Stress Tolerant Rice for Poor Farmers in Africa and South Asia (STRASA-IRRI) Project Dr MA Bari told BSS today.
“The farmers have already completed preparing seedbeds and are caring now before transplantation from the next month,” Dr Bari, also CM of Sustainable Rice Seed Production and Delivery System in Southern Bangladesh (SRSPDS- IRRI) Project, said.
Talking to BSS, Regional Project Coordinator of STRASA-IRRI and Team Leader of SRSPDS-IRRI Projects Dr US Singh said farmers in Bangladesh have achieved laudable success in farming flood-tolerant paddies.
“Bangladesh has brighter prospect to overcome colossal crop losses being caused by floods every year to T-Aman paddy through expanded farming of flood-tolerant paddies to keep rice production increasing under adverse climate,” he said.
Dr Bari said 2,000 tonne seeds of these paddies were distributed among the farmers in all 64 districts this season with the assistances of the USAID and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Like the previous seasons, seeds of flood-tolerant BRRI dhan 51, BRRI dhan 52, IR 64 Sub 1 and Samba Massouri Sub1, saline-tolerant BRRI dhan 53 and BRRI dhan 54 and drought-tolerant BRRI Dhan 56, BRRI dhan 57, Chehrang Sub1 were distributed this time through GOB-NGO collaboration.
“Besides, many farmers prepared more seedbeds this time using own seed stocks as 1.25 lakh farmers cultivated flood-tolerant paddies in 15,000 hectare lands last year in 48 districts using 186 tonnes seeds distributed by us,” he added.
Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Sikander Ali said cultivation of these paddies ecame popular after farmers got bumper productions even after 12-17 days submergence under flood-waters in recent years.
Farmers Khabir Uddin and Anjalul Haque and Chand Mian of Rangpur said they got average yield of 3.52 tonnes of BRRI dhan 51 paddy per hectare after the plants remained submerged for 15 days in the first phase and again for 10 days last season.
Bangladesh Economy 
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