International Seminar on the theme "Food Policy in Bangladesh: Issues and Perspectives"

An International Seminar on the theme "Food Policy in Bangladesh: Issues and Perspectives", which was jointly sponsored by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), and BRF, was held on 13 March 2005 at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka. The Seminar was participated by four (4) members of the IFPRI Board of Trustees, 13 IFPRI researchers, three cabinet ministers of Bangladesh (Finance and Planning, Food and Disaster Management, and Agriculture), distinguished local researchers and specialists on food policy in both the public and private sectors, including several Board members of BRF, and representatives of the donor community. This was a very high-profile activity. BRF was responsible for its local organization and management, but all necessary expenses for the seminar were borne by IFPRI. The proceedings of the seminar were subsequently published by IFPRI.

Study of the Potential of Exporting Aromatic and Fine Quality Rice from Bangladesh

This project was financially supported by BRAC. The study was conducted by a team of three professionals, under the guidance and supervision of the PC of BRF, with Dr. Rezaul Karim Talukder, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, as the Principal Investigator. The project was completed in June 2005 and the final report of the project was published and circulated to relevant government officers, academicians, universities, researchers and NGOs.   

Study of Food Policy Liberalization in Bangladesh

The project was sponsored by IFPRI. The study was conducted for BRF by Dr. Nuimuddin Chowdhury as the Principal Investigator. The complete findings of the project is being published by IFPRI in a book that will contain reports from similar studies conducted in several other countries of the region. A partial output entitled "Food policy liberalization in Bangladesh: How the Government and the Markets Delivered?" of the study has been included later in this report.

Press conference on rice data bank inauguration, quarterly newsletter publication and Awarding of innovative rice farmer

Bangladesh Rice Foundation (BRF) organized a Press Conference on 9th April 2007 the conference room of the Agriculture Information Services (AIS), Khamar Bari Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh. M. Syeduzzaman - Chairman, Bangladesh Rice Foundation (BRF) addressed the press conference. The Executive Director of BRF, members of the Board of Trustee (BOT) of BRF, Director of AIS, Chief Scientific Officer (P&E) of BARC, journalist of different daily paper and TV were present in the session.

The Rice Data Bank

The Rice Database has been developed under the auspices of Bangladesh Rice Foundation. The Rice Data Bank is a database composed of data collected from various agencies combined with data in a public domain. The Bangladesh Rice Foundation started this project with a vision to increase the effective use and access to integrated information related to rice in Bangladesh. Rice related information at Global and Bangladesh levels are available from this database. The Main menu contains nine different buttons/ subject matters.

The objective of the Rice Data Bank is to provide updated data and information on rice and other agricultural issues relating on rice of Bangladesh and major rice producing countries outside Bangladesh. The main objective to develop this Rice Data Bank is to provide necessary information on rice to other organizations and the researchers who are engaged in field research, action research and policy research on rice and agricultural issuesThis Rice Databank can be accessed through the website of BRF at www.ricefoundation-bd.org.

Quarterly News Letter: RICE NEWS

First version of the (March 2007) of the Quarterly Newsletter of the Bangladesh Rice Foundation entitled "RICE NEWS" was published by the organization. This newsletter was released through the press conference. It has been distributed to the different organizations according to the mailing list decided in the 36th Program Committee (PC) meeting held on 22nd February 2007.

Innovative Rice Farmer Award - 2007

Innovative rice farmer, Abdul Basit (Salim) was awarded through press conference by certificate, medal and five thousand taka for his outstanding performance in aromatic rice production of 'Chinigura' and 'Kataribhog'. Mr. Salim born in Kadamtoli, Sadar thana of Sylhet district in 1964. During 1989, he collected seeds of 'Chinigura' and 'Kataribhog' from Dinajpur to cultivate it in his 4 bighas farm of Kadamtoli in Sylhet. He is now cultivating about more than 100 bighas of land and producing Chinigura/bigha 16.5 mon and Katarighog/bigha 12.5 mon. He has already exported 30 mon rice in 1999 and 40 mon in 2001 respectively from his farm through private initiative. His rice export initiative is already proliferating with the assistance of other farmers.
He is an affiliated farmer of BADC, for Rice Seed production. He was awarded a good performance certificate from BADC, BRF, Rice Research Institute, Agriculture Extension Department of People's Republic of Bangladesh. His success in rice production has been highlighted in different National Dailies. He has created great business opportunity of these two types of rice by marketing and exporting it to abroad.

Press Conference on a National Rice Policy

The final report entitled "A National Rice Policy for Bangladesh" was submitted to the Government of Bangladesh in February 2006. A press conference on "National Rice Policy" was organized on 11th March 2006 at the National Press Club, Dhaka, in which the Chairman of BRF introduced the background of this study and the policy recommendations. Many journalists from national dailies and scientists/experts from different GOs and NGOs were present at the press conference. The event was well covered by the national daily newspapers and also by some international media.

Activities relating to SRI

System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a new concept on rice cultivation practice, which has a potential to reduce water consumption, quantity of seed requirement and improve productivity. SRI is a process of effective integration of plant, soil, water and nutrient management. SRI trials and promotional activities are being conducted in 24 countries in various parts of the world, which reveals that SRI is gradually getting popularity due to its effectiveness. In many countries, the Governments, especially the Agriculture ministries, have been providing support to SRI promotional activities.
An experience sharing national workshop on SRI was held in the Conference Room of the DAE on 11 October 2006, which was attended by policy makers, researchers, professionals, elites and SRI farmers and BRF representatives. The participants expressed support for promoting SRI in Bangladesh. Dr. Z. Karim, a member of the BRF Board of Trustees attended a conference on SRI held in Hyderabad, India.
The BRF office is agreed to use as secretariat of SRI-NNB in the 26 Board of Trustee meeting held on 14th May 2007; Prof. Muazzam Husain is the coordinator of this SRI-NNB.