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SHYKH SERAJ

His vision of agriculture

Abed Chaudhury
BANGLADESH, geographically, is nothing but one large agricultural farm, a rice farm to be precise. Except for the minor spaces taken by dries and smaller towns the vast space of the Nation is taken by rice and other minor crops such as mustard and pulses. Most of the population, living in scenic villages, 87000 of them, spread miles after bucolic miles, eke out an existence from a land so fertile that, there is still enough food for 160 million of people, and even some to export. Bangladesh certainly in that sense is a marvel to world agriculture for its sustained endurance in self sufficiency. Incredibly, such success is not widely understood or appredated in the nation. Our dty bound urbal population, content as they are with tolerable price of rice, remain oblivious to the plight of the rural farm-living poor whose hard work and sheer love of rice production keeps this agricultural production machine going. Our cultural space is taken by events in the dries, comfort of citizens of cities and towns while the rural population work so hard, often behind the scene year after year. Were it not for the work of a few celebrated personalities the story of our rural hinterland would remain completely unknown.
Shykh Seraj is one such person. He has made agriculture and its development his lifes work, in a way that he almost personifies agriculture in Bangladesh. Whenever I discuss any issue of agriculture in Bangladesh people routinely ask me if I have discussed it with Shykh Seraj or indeed if I knew him. Shykh and I go back many years. When in 1972 I came to Dhaka to study in Notre Dame college I was introduced to him by our common friend Faridur Reza Shagor and though our paths later diverged I rediscovered Shykh when I started coming back to Banglades since 2002. I talked to him off and on Camera endlessly of many issues related to agriculture and found his enthusiasm most in factious. We discussed issues such as the manner of application of fertiliser, the role of hybrids, micronutrients in soil, how best to utilise our land; central issues of agriculture that ought to be discussed by everyone in the country. It is indeed the relentless enthusiasm of Shykh that such vital matters are subjects of public discourse and high public profile.
Our public debate is dominated by people of social sciences and agriculture does not have a high profile. Most people talking about agriculture do not hae specific proximal knowledge of agriculture and hence the discussions are very abstract. It is often from such a distance that policies are made. In popular media and social media agriculture still suffers from low prestige and the perception that it is just too hard and too far away. Although we have assimilated rural pathos in our songs and stories we have moved away mentally from the true reality of our 87000 villages. This is where Shykhs work has been so seminal. By going to spaces, such as fields of rice and pulses, places where cattles are raised or fish are nurtured, Shykh using his charisma and celebrity status has made it acceptable for city kids to think of agriculture and Shykhs popularity has travelled hand in hand to create this useful nexus whereby our new generation is again thinking of agriculture.
On some occasions I have travelled with Shykh Seraj and have found his popularity first hand. But he is not just a TV celebrity. He is hard worker who does his home work and his enthusiasm for the nitty gritty of agriculture is impressive indeed. His energy and genuine enthusiasm is in plain display when he does his programs and garners thw kind of warmth that he receives from people. FAO has been quick to recognise his contribution and has bestowed on him an important award.
As we move into an era of scarce land and threatened food security, depleted biodiversity, and threat of climate change, the role of people like Shykh Seraj cannot be over emphasized. Both his persona as a model and his action on the ground are needed to convince a new generation of dedicate their talent and energy into agriculture. We must educate and convince our urban population that agriculture is an important and prestigious vocation and Plant Sdence represents amongst the highest in intellectual pursuits.
Shykh Seraj confided in me many years ago about his dream of having a TV channel solely dedicated to agriculture. I hope he fulfils his dream soon. I would also like to see something lasting, maybe in the form of a new Institute that contains his life time of energy and dedication. The path in front of us, to feed the burgeoning population from a shrinking and deleted land, is full of challenges and peril. In this imperilled journey to future it is heartening to have a compatriot like Shykh Seraj with us. May his future days be long and fruitful.
The writer is a Bangladeshi geneticist and science writer living In Australia.