Introduction
This
study tour forms part of the capacity building support provided to private and
public sector partners under the “Methods in Advanced Research (practical)”
course for the MS students of Horticulture department, Bangladesh Agricultural
University, Mymensingh.
The
visit to different private and public sectors is aimed at enhancing the
capacity and knowledge of Agricultural activities and research under Ministry
of Agriculture and agro based Industries & Rural Development of Bangladesh
and Joint collaboration with marketing, common facility center establishment
and management, business association management, policy framework and incentive
mechanisms of local government levels etc.
The
study tour took place from 04-05 February with 20 February 2014 and involved
visits to Natore, Bogra and Gazipur district. The programme was focused on visiting
business associations like PRAN, Lalteer and Government sectors like Spices Research Centre, Rural Development
Academy (RDA), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute ( BARI) etc.
Objective
and expected outputs
The
general objective of the study tour is to provide the firsthand experience of
the visitation at private and public
sectors with on their overall mode of operation of different sectors and gain
the knowledge of their overall activities including Agricultural research.
More
specifically, the outputs expected of this study tour are:
1.
Better
understanding of the system of functioning of different private and public
sectors,
2.
Obtaining
actual information on the economic and social benefits of these sectors
activities,
3.
Sharing
experience in resource mobilization and investing & managing common
facilities,
4.
Understanding
the role played by different sectors for the success of the Agriculture,
5.
Learning
experiences regarding raw materials, production system, branding of common products,
common marketing of products, research facilities etc.
6.
To
acquaintance with different Horticultural crops.
Day
1: 04.02.2014
Spot: Visiting
Cholon Bill, Natore
Arrival
Time: 12.00 PM
Leaving
Time: 12.10 PM
Cholon
bill is one of the important place in the Northern part of Bangladesh. It is
place their different types of Agricultural activities and variation of work
may found and visiting the Zero tillage garlic and onion production field,
Mixed cropping field, Relay cropping field .
Zero
tillage production of garlic and onion required no tillage operation and these
may be sown immediately after harvesting of rice.
Spot: BAU kul
market, Bonpara, Natore
Arrival
Time: 12.45 PM
Leaving
Time: 1.30 PM
We also visited the biggest BAU kul
market in Natore district. Wholeseller and the paikary collect the BAU kul from
local village farmers. Then they were grading the jujube according to their
quality (size, shape & color). Then they packed these in cartoons (made by
bamboo, by papers or by wood) with the help of papers. Then these are ready to
transport in different parts of Bangladesh. Different kinds of jujube like BAU
kul, apple kul, Thai kul, China kul, Narikel kul, Deshi kul etc. distributed
from this market
Spot: Aloe vera Garden, Hoybotpur, Natore
Arrival
Time: 1.40 PM
Leaving
Time: 1.50 PM
We visited the field of Aloevera garden near Hoybotpur where commercial
cultivation may done. Aloe vera is a succulent plant species that is
found only in cultivation, having no naturally occurring populations, although
closely related aloes do occur in northern Africa. The species is frequently cited as being used
in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD. Extracts from A. vera
are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being
marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing, or soothing properties.
There is, however, little scientific evidence of the effectiveness or safety of
Aloe vera extracts for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes.
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom:
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Clade:
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Angiosperms
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Clade:
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Monocots
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Order:
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Family:
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Subfamily:
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Genus:
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Species:
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A. vera
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One plant 50 tk. when
planted and after three months 1000 tk. returns from each plant. They
inform us that about 2 lacks taka are required to cultivate Aloe Vera in 1
bigha of land. They sell 40 kg Aloe Vera leaves about 1200 taka.
At 2.30 PM we reach PRAN Agro
limited at Ekdala in Natore.
Spot: PRAN Agro Ltd, Akdala, Natore
Arrival
Time: 2.30 PM
Leaving
Time: 6.15 PM
PRAN is the biggest
private Bangladeshi food-products corporation based in Dhaka, Bangladesh,
founded in 1981. It is the largest food and nutrition company of Bangladesh, It
is the largest exporter of processed agro products with the compliance of HALAL
& HACCP to more than 82 countries. The Company's principal activity is the
manufacture and sale of Juice, Snacks, Soft Drink, cakes and dairy products.
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Industry
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Food processing
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Founded
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17 March 1981
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Founder
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Products
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Employees
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40,000
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Total Industry 13
Here we
seen different processing plant and lines with Md. Moniruzzaman, Assistant
Manager (comp line) and Mr. Badrul Alam Dewan, Assistant Manager (HRM) who
helped us to visit their. We seen and visit different lines and these are:
Different Lines:
1)
Confectionary Chokobin line: James and Chokobin produced
2)
Fruit lines & Drink line: Litchi products
3)
Chutney line: Different types of chutneys produced
4)
Tomato Sauce & Catch up line: Tomato by products
5) Peanut Bar line
At 6.15 PM we leave Natore for
Spice Research Centre, Shibgong, Bogra. We reached SRC in Bogra about 8.15 PM.
We stay the whole night in dormitory of Spice Research Centre.
DAY 2: 05.02.2014
Spot: Spices Research Centre,
Shibgonj, Bogra
Arrival
Time: 8.15 PM (04.02.2014)
Leaving
Time: 10.30 AM (05.02.2014)
Area: 70 acre
Spices
Research Centre, Shibgonj, Bogra under BARI (Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Institute) and BARI it is the largest multi crop Research institute, Conduct
Research on more than 204 crops and more then 700 scientists of different
discipline work at BARI.
Shahidul Islam, SSO & K M
Khalekuzzman, SSO introduce us with the SRC in a seminar held in the SRC
conference room. Abu Hena Faysal Fahim, scientific officer of SRC guided us
when we visit the research centre field. Mr. Fahim shows us different research
activities in the SRC field and introduces us different unknown spices.
We
visit onion, garlic, fenugreek, coriander research fields. A lot of research
work is going on the field. We become familiar with different types of spices
like firingi, radhuni, leaf onion, mouri, sholuk, akani, pestabadam, pan bilas,
allspice, alubokhara, doi rong, bilati dhonia etc.
Production Scenario in Bangladesh:
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Spices used in world
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109
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Spices used in Bangladesh
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29
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Spices cultivation in Bangladesh
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17
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Total production
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29.75 lakh Ton
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Total spices cultivation area
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5.26 lakh ha.
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Post harvest lost
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25-30%
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Different Types spices used:
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Major
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Minor
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Exotic
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Onion
Garlic
Chilli
Ginger
Turmeric
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Fenugreek
Black
pepper
Coriander
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Cumin
Cardamon
Cinnamon
Clove
Pulm
Pimanta
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SRC
researched and developed variety under BARI
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SI No
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Name of the Crop
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Varity Name
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Development Year
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1
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Bilatidhonia
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BARI Bilatidhonia-4
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2013
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2
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Pulm
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BARI
Alubokhara-1
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2013
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3
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Chili
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BARI Chili-2
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2013
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4
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Turmeric
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BARI
Turmeric-5
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2013
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5
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Turmeric
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BARI
Turmeric-4
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2014
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6
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Betel leaf
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BARI Betel
leaf - 2
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1996
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7
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Betel leaf
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BARI Betel
leaf - 1
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1996
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8
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Black pepper
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Jainta
gulmorich
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1989
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9
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Coriander
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BARI Dhonia -
1
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1996
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10
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Fenugreek
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BARI Methi-2
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2006
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11
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Fenugreek
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BARI Methi-1
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2000
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12
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Black Cumin
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BARI
Kalozira-1
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2009
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13
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Turmeric
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BARI Halud-3
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2000
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14
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Turmeric
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BARI Halud-2
(Sinduri)
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1988
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15
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Turmeric
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BARI Halud-1
(Dimla)
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1988
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16
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Ginger
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BARI Ada-1
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2009
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17
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Chilli
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BARI
Morich-1(Bangla Lanka)
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2001
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18
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Garlic
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BARI Rashun-2
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2006
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19
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Garlic
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BARI Rashun-1
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2004
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20
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Onion
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BARI Piaz -5
(summer)
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2008
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21
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Onion
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BARI Piaz-4
(Winter)
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2008
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22
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Onion
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BARI Piaz-3
(Summer)
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2000
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23
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Onion
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BARI Piaz-2
(Summer)
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1999
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24
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Onion
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BARI Piaz-1
(Winter)
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1996
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Spot:
Mahasthan Garh, Bogra
Arrival
Time: 11.15 AM
Leaving
Time: 11.30 AM
At 10.30 AM we leave SRC for Rural
Development Academy (RDA) Bogra. We take a break to visit the historical place,
Mahasthangarh when we went SRC
to RDA.
Mahasthangarh is one of the earliest urban archaeological sites so
far discovered in Bangladesh. The village Mahasthan in Shibganj upazilla of
Bogra District contains the remains of an ancient city which was called
Pundranagara or Paundravardhanapura in the territory of Pundravardhana. A limestone slab bearing six lines in Prakrit
in Brahmi script, discovered in 1931, dates Mahasthangarh to at least the 3rd
century BC. The fortified area was in use till the 18th century AD.
We reach Rural Development Academy
at sherpur in Bogra at 11.52 AM.
Spot:
ACI-RDA R&D Centre, RDA, Bogra
Arrival
Time: 12.00 PM
Leaving
Time: 3.00 PM
The Rural Development Academy
(RDA), Bogra was established on 19 June, 1974 as a specialized Rural
Development Institution for training, research and action research. They
provide training to the local government representatives, farmers, women,
different professional person etc. in different topics.
It is located at 16 kilometer away
from Bogra town by the highway towards Dhaka. The Academy campus covers an area
of 48.50 hectares of which 19.00 hectares has been apportioned for office,
residence, school & college, play ground, children’s park and other
establishments. The remaining 29.50 hectares has been earmarked for
demonstration farm for undertaking research in farming, horticulture,
floriculture, tissue culture, pisciculture, livestock, Poultry etc. The campus
has almost all the modern amenities of urban life.
The Rural Development Academy,
Bogra comprising of about 12 acres has been the R&D station of ACI Seed for
the last 4 years. The About 8 varieties of bottle gourd, ridge gourd, snake
gourd, sweet gourd and sponge gourd have been developed in the short span of
time. 5 Breeders and 7 Breeder Assistants have been working diligently to
develop vegetable varieties which have so far shown promise in the farmer
fields.
Md. Feroz Rashid, Director of
Planning Division and Seed & Biotechnology Division of RDA-ACI
Collaboration introduce us with the RDA in a seminar held in the RDA conference
room. Many officers of RDA and ACI were present in the seminar. Mrs. Annesha
Ibn Hossain, scientist of ACI presented a nice presentation about RDA-ACI
collaboration activities. Prof. Md. Abdus Siddique, Coordinator of ACI is
present here.
The
main objectives of ACI:
1. To
develop new competitive hybrid variety
2. To
select & develop improved IVP by tissue culture
3. To
select new variety
Mr. Rafiqul Hossain, scientist of
ACI describes their activities about potato. He is involved in indigenous
potato variety research activities in 1993 at Kalai Upazila in Joypurhat
districts. They work 5 IPV research activities.
ACI have release & marketing 12
vegetables variety seeds, only release 11 varieties, 20 variety in pipelines
for release.
Then they show us their activities
in RDA-ACI farms. Mr. Delowar Hossain, senior plant breeder of ACI introduces
us about their research activities in the field. We saw 2 color brinjal (green
& Violet) in different shapes. We saw a huge amount of brinjal bear in the
brinjal plants. Then we see few chili variety, 2 tomato varieties, 2 bottle
gourd varieties in their field. We observe that they develop solar panel for
their fiend irrigation. Then we visit their potato field. They research on 5
potato cultivars. They use net to protect from the potato from insects. Next we
visit their tissue culture laboratory. They are trying to develop many
varieties in the laboratory.
We take our lunch at 2 PM in RDA
canteen. We enjoy the lunch very much because it was a huge arrangement. We
leave RDA at 2.45 PM. We reach our campus at 8.10 PM. By this way we finish our
first phase of the tour.
Day 3: 20.02.2014
Spot:
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur
Arrival
Time: 10.30 AM
Leaving
Time: 11.30 AM
We resume our 2nd phase
of the tour at 20-02-2014. We start our journey at 7.30 AM from the Bangladesh
Agricultural University campus by 2 microbuses. We were 21 students and 3
honorable teachers. Our destiny was BARI, Gazipur. We take several breaks in
our journey for breakfast and refueling.
We
reached BSMRAU at Salna in Gazipur on 10.30 am & we spend one hour in this
campus. Then we start the journey to BARI.
Spot:
BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur
Arrival
Time: 12.10 PM
Leaving
Time: 1.30 PM
We reached BARI at 12.10 PM. We
visit Horticulture Research Centre of Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Institute (BARI).
Bangladesh Agricultural
Research Institute (BARI) is an
autonomous organization under the Ministry of agriculture, that conducts
research on all crops except rice, jute, sugarcane, and tea for which there are
separate institutes. The central research station of the institute is at
Joydebpur about 35 km north of Dhaka.
BARI Research Activities:
BARI has 7 crop research
centers through which it conducts research on commodity areas such as
vegetables, fruits, tubers, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, spices, flowers etc.
Other than 7 crop research centers, BARI has more 16 divisions, 6 regional
research stations and 28 sub-stations to carry out research on non commodity
field.
Centre’s Activities:
1.
Tuber
Crops Research Centre (TCRC)
2.
Horticulture
Research Centre (HRC)
3.
Wheat
Research Centre
4.
Spices
Research Centre
5.
Plant
Genetic Resource Centre
6.
Oil
seed Research Centre
7.
Pulse
Research Centre
Mandate
1. Germplasm collection, evaluation, conservation and documentation
2. Development of improved crop varieties
3. Soil, fertilizers and water management research
4. Disease and pest management research and pesticidal residue analysis
5. Development of production package of crops
6. Development of new cropping patterns to increase cropping intensity
7. Development of appropriate farm machineries
8. Transfer of technologies through training, demonstration and publications.
2. Development of improved crop varieties
3. Soil, fertilizers and water management research
4. Disease and pest management research and pesticidal residue analysis
5. Development of production package of crops
6. Development of new cropping patterns to increase cropping intensity
7. Development of appropriate farm machineries
8. Transfer of technologies through training, demonstration and publications.
We start our field visit in HRC
guided by the officers of BARI. First we observe flower research activities in
the field. Gladiolus, dahlia, marigold, tuberose research activities is going
on their fields. Next we visit vegetable field. We saw egg plant, tomato,
cabbage, chili, sweet potato, sweet gourd, potato, mustard, etc. research
activities is going on. We saw they use bait trap in the egg plant field. They
also use sex pheromone for controlling pest.
Up next we visit fruit farm of HRC.
We saw mango, jackfruit, papaya, jujube plant in their research fields. BARI
Am-4 is developing by crossing two variety arshwina and a USA variety. They
develop a bisexual papaya variety which will reduce the uncertainty of the
seeds as it will be male or female plants.
Banana research is going on based
on the tissue culture technique. They also research on plant micro nutrient,
mulching, irrigation etc. effects on banana plant. We also observe BARI Kul-1,
apple Kul, Narikel Kul in the orchard. We saw strawberry, Dragon fruit, and
Passion fruit research in the field.
They construct a mist house in the
field which can control temperature, humidity, rainfall etc. but it was not
running. Cleft grafting mango seedlings are kept inside the mist house.
Modern
Laboratory Facility
1. Arsenic laboratory
2. Toxicology laboratory
3. Molecular Biology laboratory
4. Biotechnology laboratory
5. Plant Pathology laboratory
6. Tuber Crop Research laboratory
7. Plant Breeding
laboratory
8. Horticultural laboratory
9. Central
laboratory
Research Area:
BARI has been engaged in different commodity and
non-commodity research area. Major research programs of BARI are listed below:
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IV. Soil-Plant Nutrient
Management and Fertilizer recommendation
V. Disease Management
1. Fungal Diseases
2. Bacterial Diseases
3. Viral Diseases
4. Nematode Diseases
VI. Pests Management
1. Invertebrate Pests Management
2.Vertebrate Pests Management
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VII. Irrigation and Water
Management
VIII. Farm Machinery and Post
Harvest Process Engineering
IX. Postharvest Technology
X. Hill Farming
XI. Farming System Research and
On-Farm Verification of Advanced Technologies
XII. Maintenance and Preservation of
Genetic Resources
XII. Socio-economic Studies on
Production, Utilization and Marketing
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Current research thrust in horticultural programme areas:
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Future Thrust
1. Genetic Resource Management
2.
Development of HYV/Hybrids
3. Postharvest Handling and Processing
4. Biotechnological Intervention for Crop improvement
5. Soil Health Management
6. Quality Seed Production
7. Integrated Disease Management (1DM)
8. Pesticide Residue Analysis and 1PM
9. Market Oriented Research
10. Organic Farming for Exportable Items
11. Hill Farming and Coastal Agriculture
12. Restore Friendly Environment
3. Postharvest Handling and Processing
4. Biotechnological Intervention for Crop improvement
5. Soil Health Management
6. Quality Seed Production
7. Integrated Disease Management (1DM)
8. Pesticide Residue Analysis and 1PM
9. Market Oriented Research
10. Organic Farming for Exportable Items
11. Hill Farming and Coastal Agriculture
12. Restore Friendly Environment
At 1.30 PM we leave BARI for
Lalteer Seed Company at Gazipur. We reach the Lalteer seed Research Centre at
2.15 PM.
We
take our lunch in the Lalteer canteen. Then we attend a seminar at Lalteer
conference room at 3 PM. A senior officer of Lalteer introduces us with Lalteer
by slide show presentation
Spot:
LAL TEER, Gazipur
Arrival
Time: 2.15 PM
Leaving
Time: 4.30 PM
The Multimode Group
began its journey on September 21,
1981. In 1995, Mr. Abdul Awal Mintoo & Mr. Simon Groot of
The Netherlands realized the need of quality seeds in Bangladesh. In 1996,
East west Seed (BD) Limited started joint venture business with Dutch company.
In 2007, Formerly East west Seed (BD) Limited started new journey as Lal
Teer Seed Ltd.
Lalteer is the 1st seed
company in Bangladesh. They started their work about seed in 90th
decade. It is a company of Multimode group. They have several regional research
centers in several districts. They have 30 regional offices. They are connected
with 700 dealers, 5000 retailers and 10 millions of farmers. They produce about
50 tons of different spice and vegetable seeds. They also produce cereal crops
seeds like rice, wheat, maize, pulses etc. They produce 95% hybrid seeds of
Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, demand of vegetable seeds is about 4320 tons but
produce only 2310 tons. Lalteer produce 450 tons of different vegetable seeds.
Associates of
LAL TEER:
} North South Seed
Limited
Rice seed production and
marketing
} Chens
Crop-Science Bangladesh Limited
Pesticide import and
marketing
} Tinpata Quality
Seeds Limited
Seed marketing
} Lal Teer
Livestock Limited
Cattle and Buffalo
improvement
Aim
of LAL TEER:
o Development of high yielding, disease-pest and stress tolerant varieties
o Supply quality seeds suitable in Bangladeshi soil and climate to
the farmers
o Minimizing import of seeds
o Capacity building for exporting
seeds
o Increase the production of
vegetables in the country
o To supply 25-30% seed to national demand by the year 2013
o To establish strong networking
programs, sharing of resources and expertise with local & International
institute & Organizations
Major Dept. of
LAL TEER:
Ø R & D
Ø PDS
Ø Production
Ø Stock Seed
Ø PPQC
Ø Sales & Marketing
Ø HRD
Ø Finance & Accounts
Learning Form
the Tour:
This
study tour made it possible to meet and discuss experiences with the
Agricultural private sector, public sector and governmental and nongovernmental
research institute. The physical visit to the various facilities &
institutions was also instrumental in cementing the stories told during meeting
room discussions as the saying goes, “Seeing
is believing.”
We just gather only theoretical knowledge from the academic section by
this study tour we observe the real scenario what we learn in theoretical, vast
difference in observe from theoretical and practical knowledge, It open our eye
about agriculture specially horticulture, It creates new attraction about
horticultural research activities among us.
Overall comments
of the tour:
It was a very nice arrangement by our horticulture department; we enjoyed
the tour very much. Eating, accommodation, journey by bus and journey by
microbus everything was very organized and excellent, all the tour guide
teachers are very cooperative and careful but the time of our tour is not good
enough, it should be increase at least 5 days. Overall, it was an enjoyable
tour in my life.
Acknowledgement:
I specially thanks to my honorable course teacher Prof. Dr. M. F. Mondal
and Prof. Dr. Md. Azizur Rahman; also thanks to Prof. Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman
who organized the whole tour very successfully. Also thanks to the Department
of Horticulture & honorable Chairman Prof. M. S. H. Choudhury who support
us a lot to organize the tour. I can not forget the helping hand PRAN Agro
Limited, Natore; Spice Research Centre (SRC), Bogra; Rural Development Academy
(RDA), Sherpur, Bogra; ACI, Bangladesh
Agricultural Research Institute (BARI),
LALTEER Seed Ltd, Gazipur. They introduced us with their activities very
cordially. I also thanks to the farmer of Chalan Beel and Hoybotpur Medicinal
Village.
Presented
and prepered by:
Md. Rafiqul
Islam Shuvo
B.Sc.Ag.(Hons.)
, PSTU
MS in
Horticulture, BAU
www-agricultureinfo.blogspot.com
shuvo_ag10@yahoo.com
