Local seed production drive is a must to ensure food security

The standing committee of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) on Agriculture, Agricultural Processing and Agro-based Industries has called for increasing local seed production to make Bangladesh’s food security sustainable to face emergency situation as well as to confront any catastrophic situation at this time of complex global situation.
Members of the concerned committee stressed the need for higher growth in the agriculture sector at the meeting on Wednesday. They stressed the need for increased seed production as the BADC locally produced seeds accounts for only 7 per cent of the domestic demand and remaining 93 per cent of the seeds are being imported from abroad to meet the higher demand of the farmers. With that end in view the members felt the necessity that the country has to move ahead with a special initiative to increase more seed production at the local level across the country.
But all actions in this direction shall have to be accompanied by a comprehensive methodology with a view to continuously strengthening local seed production drive on a priority basis across the country. The FBCCI president at the meeting was of the opinion that agricultural -production in Bangladesh’s economy remained relatively vibrant while the catastrophic situation prevailed during Covid-19 pandemic. He urged the private sector entrepreneurs to come forward to invest in this sector so the entire efforts could move ahead in a more dynamic and coordinated way. Although Bangladeshi agricultural products are exported abroad, their buyers are mainly expatriate Bangladeshis. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries are interested in taking ‘halal’ food from Bangladesh, hence there is a lot of potential in this sector.
Echoing the FBCCI chief’s remarks, the director in-charge of the standing committee said the huge import dependence on seeds is a risk to the food security of the country. It may require long-term investment from the concerned sector to attain its focal point in this direction. However, the co-chair of the committee spoke about gender inequality in the agriculture sector, saying that 54 per cent of the labour force in this sector is women, but equal pay for this huge number of workforce has not yet been ensured. Formal recognition of women’s contribution to sustainable development in agriculture is more than important.
We believe the FBCCI’s well coordinated stride for increasing seed production at the local level will greatly help the country’s food security.