To ensure food and nutrition security of the people of Bangladesh, crop production should be increased by increasing quality seed production. Speakers at a workshop, titled ‘PKSF’s initiatives to meet the demand for quality seeds’, said this on 2 July 2024 at PKSF Bhaban in Dhaka.  

Anwar Faruque, Adviser, Bangladesh Seed Association and former Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, was present as the chief guest at the workshop. Nomita Halder ndc, Managing Director of PKSF, presided over the meeting.

Dr Md Shahjahan Kabir, Director General of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), and Md Mostafizur Rahman, Member Director (Seed and Horticulture) of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) were special guests of the program.

Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director of PKSF, gave the welcome speech at the workshop. Tanvir Sultana, Deputy General Manager of PKSF gave a presentation on the activities of the Integrated Agriculture Unit. Dr Md Abdul Malek presented on PKSF’s initiatives to meet the demand for quality seeds in the workshop.

Speakers in the event said that the supply of quality seeds is a must for increasing the country’s agricultural production and ensuring food security. According to the sources of the Ministry of Agriculture, the total demand for seeds of various crops in the year 2022-23 was 12,10,351 tonnes, but the amount of seeds produced by BADC, DAE and BMDA and seeds produced and imported through private organizations is 3,61,264 tonnes, which is only 30% of the total domestic demand. PKSF is helping farmers produce small-scale crop seeds (paddy, mustard, dal, onion etc) through its Integrated Agriculture Unit.