Agriculture. Irrigation. Water Development and Flood Control. M Majid ul Haq called for strengthening FAO and World Food Programme for continued expansion of food production and ensuring food security, reports B6S.

Addressing the 27th Food and Agriculture (FAO) confer ence at Rome Tuesday he said that policy reforms In a number of countries. Including Bangla desh brought about substantive changes which made It possible for private enterprises to be involved tn the total marketing process of agricultural Inputs including fertilizers

In Bangladesh, he said, we are on the threshold of self suf flctency in cereal production and have even begun to look at the possibility of exporting surplus rice.

Majld-ul-Haq suggested the food donor countries and the world food programme to adopt a more flexible programme for the countries approaching food

grain self-sufficiency

For example, he said. It ought to be made possible to substitute pulses or oilseeds In lieu of wheat or rice in food aid programmes If the recipient country was able to achieve self-sufficiency in cereals

The minister said that for the increase of food production In the developing countries It la a must to adopt new technotogr especially bio-technology

Good Infrastructure In rural areas In the developing countries is also a required for the purpose, the agriculture minis ter said.

Haq said that FAO had done an excellent job all over the world to Improve food produc tion and food security

The current FAO conference, he hoped, would take more effective initiatives for the betterment of the developing countries.

Haq was elected a vice chairman of the conference at the outset.