'Effective use of technology a must to increase agri products'

They also stressed that the knowledge gap between farming communities and extension workers must be minimised as it causes less yield in farmers' field than the scientists get in their test plots.

The two-day international workshop on 'Improving agricultural productivity in rice-based systems at High Barind Tract Bangladesh' has been organised jointly by IRRI, Crop Protection Programme and Plant Science Research Programme at BRAC Centre in the city.

Agriculture Minister M K Anwar attended the inaugural session as chief guest with Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Dr Nurul Alam in the chair.

IRRI Liaison Scientist in Dhaka Dr M A Hamid Miah, DAE Director General Hamidur Rahman, BRRI Director General Dr M Mahiul Haque, Dr M R Mortimer of Liverpool University, Dr David Harris of Wales University and Dr Charlie Riches of Natural Resources Institute of the UK also spoke on the occasion.

In the technical session, scientists and experts discussed the success of projects conducted in greater Rajshahi district in last six years.

Some 90 scientists and experts from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, France and the UK are attending the workshop.