BSS-52 Razzaque for commercial agriculture to attain SDGs

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ZCZC

BSS-52

RAZZAQUE-AGRICULTURE-SDG

Razzaque for commercial agriculture to attain SDGs

DHAKA, Jan 22, 2019 (BSS) – Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque
today said the country’s agriculture sector will be turned into a pro-people
and commercial one aiming to ensure safe and nutritious food for all and
attain the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The incumbent government is putting maximum priority to agriculture to
make it a pro-people and commercial one to build a hunger- and poverty-free
Bangladesh,” he told a workshop at BARC auditorium, Farmgate, here.

Razzaque sought cooperation from all to ensure safe and nutritious food
for all as per the pledges made in the election manifesto of Awami League.

He said the gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 7.86 percent riding
on the agriculture sector while the per capita income was US$ 1,751 in fiscal
2017-18.

The agriculture minister said the government took the Vision-2021,
Vision-2041 and Delta Plan 2100, giving the highest importance on
agricultural development and the welfare of farmers.

He stressed the need for taking coordinated measures involving all the
ministries to attain the visions and SDGs.

SDG Affairs Chief Coordinator in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Abul Kalam
Azad and General Economics Division Member (senior secretary) of Planning
Commission Dr Shamsul Alam presented separate keynote paper at the workshop.

National emeritus scientist Dr Kazi M Badruddoza, agriculturalist Abdul
Mannan, MP, and agriculture secretary (in-charge) Md Nasiruzzaman, among
others, spoke at the workshop with Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council
(BARC) executive chairman Dr Md Kabir Ikramul Haque in the chair.

Dr Badruddoza demanded for increasing sufficient allocation for
agricultural research and relaxing age-limit for researchers for promoting
innovative research in the agriculture.

BSS/Asg/SS/MKD/MRI/2222 hrs