Agriculture experts and environmentalists underscored on the issues of adaptation to global climate change and its adverse impacts on the agriculture sector must get maximum priority in every country to keep agro-production increasing for ensuring food security.
They expressed this views putting emphasis on innovation of newer
technologies and more stress tolerance crop varieties to popularise those among the farmers for cultivation under adverse situations.
Knowledge management and communication specialist of the climate resilient agriculture and food security project of World Bank Dr MG Neogi said adverse impacts of climate change on agriculture might severely affect food production in future.
“We cannot reduce adverse impacts of climate change overnight and positive results of the current global efforts might start improving the situation slowly, but agro-productions must be kept increasing for ensuring food security,” he said.
Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the changing climate already affected agriculture, weather,irrigation,
ecology, bio-diversity, environment and reserve of underground water.
“As a result, seasonal rainfalls, periods of appearance of different seasons including crop farming and harvesting have been changed causing concern to the agriculture sector that might cause severe setback in food production in future,” he apprehended.
Former Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Dr M A Mazid feared the adverse impacts of climate change on agriculture might be even unthinkable to make the sector collapsed though mostly stopping food production.
“The situation degrades faster because of melting ice due to global
warming and emission of huge green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydro-flouro-carbons, per-flouro-carbons, sulphur hexa-fluoride,” he mentioned.
Horticulture Specialist of the Department of Agriculture Extension
Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam narrated the background that triggered to climate change and its adverse impacts on global agriculture, environment and other sectors.
“The adverse climate change impacts might be unthinkable, so severe and million times worse than those experienced so far and the agri-sector might be collapsed, and so the global communities should take the matter most seriously,” he feared.
Extension Agronomist Anarul Haque at Dinajpur Hub of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center said the degrading situation might reduce agro-production to such a level that would not be enough to feed growing global population in future.
“The drying and silting up of rivers, lowering of underground water level and complete drying up of dozens of rivers and tributaries during the past four decades have further degraded the situation affecting the agriculture sector in Bangladesh.
The experts put maximum emphasis on adaptation to climate change through adopting newer strategies and innovating newer technologies and techniques for enhancing crop cultivation in all seasons to ensure food security for growing population, reports BSS from Rangpur.
