The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

This refers to the letter of Professor M. Zahidul Haque (The New Nation - 04 July 2008) concerning the demand of Oikka Parishad - a united front of teachers' associations - for the recruitment of VC from within - I mean, from among qualified and competent professors of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Dhaka - Bangladesh.

Interesting though, the demand for VC for one of the country's public universities (SAU) has been brought to the notice of people of Bangladesh, the army-supported government and others at the time when the gap between the demand side and the supply side of food grains at local, national, global and other levels has widened in a unexpectedly disproportionate manner, relative to time, space and other variables - triggering a continual rise in food prices throughout the world and multiplying miseries of people especially the poor, among other things. World Bank president Robert B Zoellick's July 01, 2008 fire fighting call (I would like it call it in that way) via a letter to heads of the upcoming G-8 summit in Japan and major oil producers bears inter alia testimony to the gravity of existing and impending food crisis in the world.

Factors such as and as appropriate: a continuing energy crisis; ongoing impacts of climate change on global commons; an increasing scarcity of usable resources; governance related insufficiency - a lack of pluralism in local and national decision-making and so on; an inability on the part of science, engineering and technology and a lack people's interest in, and willingness for, minimization of wastage in a required manner; and trade imbalances; have been instrumental in affecting, in varying degrees, agricultural production, productivity and advancement in concerned countries.

It will not be out of place to mention here - at operation levels - the agriculture sector of concerned economies, especially that of poor economies is increasingly becoming vulnerable to, or victims of, for example: step motherly treatments by governments and others (attitudinal problems, per se); poor planning, budgeting and resources mobilization; land, as well as soil mismanagement; policy and institutional constraints; underperforming strategies; program, implementation, monitoring and follow-up related deficiencies; the paucity of skilled human resources, innovative initiatives, as well as entrepreneurial skills; inadequate or less than productive (or both) government-private sector partnerships; less than required breakthroughs; less than required incentives or absence of incentives for good performances or performers or both; unplanned or low quality (or both) use of lessons and best practices; and an apparent lack of clear vision in agricultural and allied areas. Kindly note the developments mentioned are, among other things, relative to time, space and other variables.

Taking into cognizance above and other related factors, it now appears a proper, sustainable and result-oriented consolidation, as well as harnessing of for example available resources (used in a wider sense) plus commitments, as well as motivations of all concerned including inter alia those of intellectuals, scientists, professionals, workers and students associated with domains of agriculture - and the support of a continuous and effective regime of accountability and transparency in pertinent areas - would be required for, among other things, dealing with food related challenges of Bangladesh on a continuous basis.

In that respect, an uninterrupted, peaceful, harmonious, continually re-inventing, impact-oriented and mutually satisfying (for students and teachers, per se) learning environment, as well as experience - as appropriate - at say, SAU will be a prerequisite at least for the period between now and the foreseeable future. I believe de-motivated, dissatisfied and divided teachers or students or both could do more harm than good to the nation particularly at this hour of global crisis - a united and productive front of agricultural practitioners is inter alia a need of the time.

It is expected the army-supported government will consider the above and other related factors while selecting and appointing a VC for Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. It is also expected the Oikka Parishad will explain, in a meaningful and transparent (people should know about it) manner and with facts and figures (as applicable), to relevant authorities the comparative, competitive and other advantages in favor of appointing a VC from among eligible and deserving SAU candidates - one of the purposes will be to assist the army-supported government in taking the right decision at the right time and cost to the satisfaction of all concerned and in the greater national interest.

The last word: agricultural teachers with no exception to those of SAU are, in an average sense, a vital component of the process for transforming agricultural knowledge, understanding, skills, inventions and innovations into solid results, outcomes and impacts in pursuits of enhancing production and productivity in areas say, sustainable agriculture, improving food security, maintaining eco system in a better fashion, eliminating hunger and minimizing poverty, to mention a few. The present day local and global challenges, as well as opportunities in areas of agriculture have been instrumental in inter alia increasing the importance of above teachers in that process manifold - both at home and in abroad. It is hoped the army-supported government will be mindful about the expectation of SAU teachers against the backdrop of above and other related developments.