International agrt-experts yesterday- suggested Introduction of integrated farming systems with new approaches to multiply benefits and increase productivity by injecting ever more inputs into agriculture, reports UNB.
The suggestion came at the opening function of a four-day “Twelfth Session of the FAO Regional Commission of Farm Management for Asia and the Far East" at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium.
Inaugurating the session. Agriculture Minister M Majid-ul Haq said future agricultural development strategies should be based on Integrated farming systems for multiple benefits to the small farmers.
"Farm management in a sustainable manner will need multi-pronged actions with adequate support of financial resources. human expertise and environmentally sound technology on national, regional and global perspective." he said.
Lack of expertise management is the main weakness of the developing countries like Bangladesh. he said. "We have to explore news areas and assess our problems to overcome stagnation In farm management. Crop production is interrelated and interdependent upon other components of farm."
The Agriculture Minister said crop yields in the region ranged from as low as 1 ton per hectare to as high as 6 ton per hectare, with many countries averaging below 2.5 ton per hectare.
He said Asian and Far Eastern countries would have to achieve an increase In the average food crop yield to the tune of 3.2 ton per hectare in the year 2010 in order to maintain
the present level of per capita food demand
Bangladesh attained an average growth rate of 1.5 per cent in farm sector during 1961-85 against 5 per cent in some countries like Korea. Malaysia and China, he said with a note of caution that "if many Asian countries, including Bangladesh, fail to bring a dramatic change in growth rate, the scourge of hunger and mal-' nutrition may deepen further." *
About 50 agricultural experts from Bhutan, China. India. Indonesia. Korea, Malaysia. Nepal. Pakistan. Philippines. Shri Lanka. Thailand. UK Vietnam and host Bangladesh are attending the regional session. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have Jointly sponsored the session
Agriculture Secretary ANM Eusuf. FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific AZM Obaldullah Khan. Director of AGS. FAO. Rome. G Dres-russe and Executive Vice-Chaijman of BARC Dr MSU Chowdhury also spoke at the Inaugural session.
FAO Representative Obaldullah Khan said the Asia and Pacific region seems to have reached or surpassed the safe limits for horizontal expansion of agricultural produc tlon.
The challenge of sustainably increasing agricultural produc tlvlty is particularly difficult in Asia where cropping intensities are already the highest in the developing world. The Interna tional Rice Research Institute has cautioned there Is evidence rice yields slipping backwards, he said.
Moreover, he added, the problem of land scarcity is compounded by land degradation. of which soil erosion by water and salinlsation are the major agents — about 315 million hectares, or half the total global water-eroded lands, are in Asia.
Deserts are creeping into the region at the rate of one million hectares per year. "We can no longer take water rolling from mountain top with soft inland murmur' for granted. Shortages are crippling production in Northeastern Thailand. And 70 per cent of the farms in the sub-continent are rainfed. he said.
Khan, a former Agriculture Minister of Bangladesh, said
sustainability should not be limited to the physical and the material aspects of ecological integrity. It must be political empowerment, social justice and equity and the richness of cultural diversify It must recognize human dignity, human potential and solidarity
Agriculture Secretary ANM Eusuf said crop varieties resls tant to severe diseases and peats need to be developed for economy of the farmers level as well as to address the environmental pollution linked with poisonous pesticides in Bangladesh
About 6 per cent land uses pesticide and only 4 per cent land uses certified seed in Bangladesh, he said, adding injudicious use fertilizer is rampant iff the country.