The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Ubinig and Noyakrishi Andolan have expressed deep concern over the recent decision to boost Boro hybrid seed cultivation for recovering the crop damages in the cyclone affected region of the country.

These organisations yesterday at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity placed a six-point suggestion criticising the decision that would enhance the farmers' dependency on the hybrid seed traders and technologies, increase production cost of the crops and destroy the general agro system of the country.

The suggestions included to scrap the decision of Boro hybrid seed cultivation in 7 lakh hecters of land, to ignore the companies and NGOs who are opposing the general agricultural system in the country, to reduce the use of technologies in the production of the crops, to ensure the supply of the high quality seed to the farmers in the cyclone hit region from the local stock.

Farida Akter, Executive Director of the Ubinig said the government would have to stop the cultivation of the hybrid seed in the North Bengal region that pollutes soil, water, health and environment of the region. The hybrid seed could not fulfil the production target in the previous years, she added.

She also demanded compensation for the farmers who are victims of hybrid seed cultivation. Claiming the production cost under the general agro method was very low, she said the Government should provide the subsidy for the research on the agro system for its development and the farmers who were cultivating crops without using fertilisers and irrigating underground water.

Researchers Dr MA Sobhan, Golam Rabbi Badol, Deepa Datta, Abdul Jabbar, Palash Boryal, Sima Das Simu, Mahmuda Khatun and Mojahidul Islam, among others, were present at the conference.