Sunday, 20 April 2014

Report On MS STUDY TOUR: BAU- 2013-14



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.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Clade:
Angiosperms
Clade:
Monocots
Order:
Family:
Subfamily:
Genus:
Species:
A. vera

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.
Industry
Food processing
Founded
17 March 1981
Founder
Products
Employees
40,000
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
6)    Culinary products line:          Chilli powder, Coriander powder, cumin powder, Turmeric   powder

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:

Spices used in world
109
Spices used in Bangladesh
29
Spices cultivation in Bangladesh
17
Total production
29.75 lakh Ton
Total spices cultivation area
5.26 lakh ha.
Post harvest lost
25-30%


Different Types spices used:

Major
Minor
Exotic
Onion
Garlic
Chilli
Ginger
Turmeric
Fenugreek
Black pepper
Coriander
Cumin
Cardamon
Cinnamon
Clove
Pulm
Pimanta


SRC researched and developed variety under BARI

SI No
Name of the Crop
Varity Name
Development Year
1
Bilatidhonia
BARI Bilatidhonia-4
2013
2
Pulm
BARI Alubokhara-1
2013
3
Chili
BARI Chili-2
2013
4
Turmeric
BARI Turmeric-5
2013
5
Turmeric
BARI Turmeric-4
2014
6
Betel leaf
BARI Betel leaf - 2
1996
7
Betel leaf
BARI Betel leaf - 1
1996
8
Black pepper
Jainta gulmorich
1989
9
Coriander
BARI Dhonia - 1
1996
10
Fenugreek
BARI Methi-2
2006
11
Fenugreek
BARI Methi-1
2000
12
Black Cumin
BARI Kalozira-1
2009
13
Turmeric
BARI Halud-3
2000
14
Turmeric
BARI Halud-2 (Sinduri)
1988
15
Turmeric
BARI Halud-1 (Dimla)
1988
16
Ginger
BARI Ada-1
2009
17
Chilli
BARI Morich-1(Bangla Lanka)
2001
18
Garlic
BARI Rashun-2
2006
19
Garlic
BARI Rashun-1
2004
20
Onion
BARI Piaz -5 (summer)
2008
21
Onion
BARI Piaz-4 (Winter)
2008
22
Onion
BARI Piaz-3 (Summer)
2000
23
Onion
BARI Piaz-2 (Summer)
1999
24
Onion
BARI Piaz-1 (Winter)
1996


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.


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:

I. Variety Improvement of Field Crops
1. Wheat
2. Maize
3. Milletes
4. Barley
5. Oil crops
6. Pulses

II. Variety Improvement of Horticultural Crops

1.Tuber Crops
2. Fruits
3. Vegetables
4. Palms and Nuts
5. Betel Leaf
6. Spices
7. Floriculture





III. Crop Husbandry
1. Crop Husbandry of Field Crops
2. Crop Husbandry of Horticultural Crops

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


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


Current research thrust in horticultural programme areas:

Programme areas
                                    Research priorities/thrusts
Vegetables:
  • Development of summer vegetables varieties such as tomato, leafy vegetables, cabbage, hyacinth bean, summer onion, etc.
  • Production of hybrid brinjal, radish, muskmelon.
  • Production of disease free seed/saplings through tissue culture in potato, banana, etc.
  • Production of true potato seeds (TPS)
  • Production of potato seed-tubers through formal and informal practices.
  • Improvement of local potato varieties.
  • Post-harvest handling and processing of potato in relation to export opportunities.
  • Improvement of aroids and yams.
Fruits :
  • Development of varieties for on and off-season and year-round fruits (Jack fruit, Mango, Pineapple, etc.).
  • Development of fruits through micro- and macro-propagation.
  • Varietal improvement of orange/mandarin and minor fruits like carambola, pommelo, ber, etc.
Floriculture :
  • Varietal development of commercial flowers viz. Orchid, Gladiolas, Gerber, Anthurium and some foliage.
  • Development of production technology for different flowers.
  • Post-harvest studies, lick Vase life determination, packaging and transportation.
Spices :
  • To select high yielding varieties of different spices having high degree of tolerance/ resistance to common insect pests and diseases
  • To introduce spices which are commonly used in the country but not produced here.
  • To develop appropriate and improved production technologies.
  • To develop improved post-harvest handling, processing and preservation of different spices.
  • To identify and find out control measures of insect pests and diseases of different spices crops.


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

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




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