IRRI will assist Bangladesh to research stress- tolerant rice

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) will assist Bangladesh to research developing varieties of stress (salt and drought) tolerant rice.

In addition, Bangladeshi scientists can take training on rice variant innovation, at the world-class laboratory at the IRRI’s South Asia Regional Office in Varanasi, India.

Visiting IRI Asia representative Nafees Meah said this during a meeting with the Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque in the secretariat office on Tuesday.

Dr Razzaque told Nafees Meah that in order to make food security sustainable, Bangladesh is giving importance to development of various types of rice varieties which will be tolerant of salt and drought.

“Scientists in the country have already developed many varieties of high quality; even then more varieties are needed. We want IRRI’s cooperation for developing high yield rice varieties,” he added.

Agriculture Secretary Md. Sayedul Islam, Additional Secretary Kamala Ranjan Das, Director General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Shahjahan Kabir, Bangladesh Representative of IRRI Homnath Bhandari, among others, present in the meeting, reports UNB.