Milon calls for building sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture systems

Minister of Education, Primary and Mass Education Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Saturday called for the development of sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture systems to address the challenges of future.

He made this call while inaugurating the 25th conference of the ‘Bangladesh Society of Agronomy,’ at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium here as the chief guest.

Highlighting the progress and future challenges of the agricultural sector, the Education Minister stated, “We have achieved significant progress in agricultural production. However, the challenge for the future lies not merely in increasing production but in navigating limited resources, climate change and evolving technologies. Stakeholders must focus earnestly on how to ensure higher yields, lower costs, superior quality and environmental sustainability all on the same piece of land.”

Emphasizing the need to bring the fruits of innovation and research to the farmers’ doorsteps, he noted that while scientists and researchers publish numerous papers and develop new technologies every year, it is essential to constantly evaluate how many farmers are actually benefiting from these innovations.

Addressing the role of agricultural universities, the Minister remarked that these institutions should not function merely as degree-granting bodies, rather, they must evolve into robust hubs for innovation, solutions to contemporary problems and the comprehensive transformation of the agricultural sector.

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Milon added that there is a growing need for skilled workforce in areas such as the operation of agricultural machinery, modern irrigation technologies and food processing. In this regard, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) can play a pivotal role in developing such expertise.

President of the Bangladesh Society of Agronomy Dr A K M Ruhul Amin presided over the conference where Chairman of the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) Agriculturist Md. Hasan Jafir Tuhin, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Dr Md Abdus Salam and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University Prof Dr Md Abdul Alim were present as special guests.