Money won’t be enough without self-sufficiency in food production: Agriculture minister

Stressing the need for becoming self-sufficient in food production, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque today warned that it would be difficult to procure food even with money available if there is a food crisis or famine due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

He said this at a view exchange meeting with officials of the agriculture ministry at the ministry's conference room on the occasion of the New Year.

 "We will have to produce the required food on our own," he said.

Razzaque said the main challenge in food security was that the country's population was increasing by 22-23 lakhs every year but due to various reasons, agricultural land was decreasing.

"From these small lands, we will have to provide people with food and poultry feed as well. That is why everyone in the agriculture department has to work with more sincerity and dedication," he also said.

Instructing the officers to go to the field level, the minister further said that the officers should not just sit in the ministry and do the usual work.

"Rather they will have to go on field level visits regularly. They will have to identify what can be cultivated or have the potentiality to cultivate in which area, so that agricultural production can be increased further," he added.

Additional Secretary (Extension) Md Hasanuzzaman Kallol, Additional Secretary (PPC) Md Abdur Rauf, Additional Secretary (Fertilizer Management and Materials) Md Mahbubul Islam, Additional Secretary (Research) Kamalaranjan Das, Director General (Seeds) Balai Krishna Hajra and other officials were present at the programme.