Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, MP, said successful promotion of agro-forestry can be the effective means of boosting production of both farm outputs and forestry resources.The minister was addressing a seminar at conference hall of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) in Rajshahi city today as the chief guest.
BMDA organised the seminar styled “Community Forestry in Barind Tract: Role of BMDA Focusing on Ultra High Density Mango Plantation for Improvement of Nutrition of Ultra Poor in Barind Tract”.
Barind Integrated Landscape Transformation Multi Stakeholder Platform supported the programme. Chaired by BMDA Chairman Dr Akram Hossain Chowdhury, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Director of Department of Environment Md Ashrafuzzaman, Conservator of Forest Abdul Awal Sarker, Director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development Dr. Saleemul Huq, BMDA Executive Director Abdur Rashid and Senior Advisor of Asian Development Bank Dr. Assaduzzaman.
Executive Engineer of BMDA Engineer Abdul Latif, Bangladesh Coordinator of 2030 Water Resource Group Sayef Tanzeem Qayyum and Zahirul Islam from Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture presented three separate keynote papers on different dimensions of the issue.
Minister Barrister Mahmud said, “Agro-forestry will be useful in addressing the needs of fuel, fodder, green leaf manure and medicinal plants.”
“Family farming, promoting homestead agro-forestry models will be the best step forward….This combination of environmental services and agricultural production makes agro-forestry an exciting opportunity both to feed the region and save the planet,” he added.
Barrister Mahmud opined that optimum agro-forestry could be effective means of reducing carbon emission at a substantial level and that is very important to face the adverse impact of climare change. Time has come to make the farmers habituated towards agro-forestry.
Presenting his paper Engineer Abdul Latif said mango intercropping with various cereal crops especially paddy has started contributing a lot towards boosting mango yield in the region.
More than 120 scientists and researchers representing various agricultural institutions and other entities concerned joined the seminar, reports AFP, Rajshahi.
