Experts suggest, commercialisation of biofortified zinc rice

Experts at a meeting have stressed an integrated value chain system for the commercialisation of biofortified zinc rice to ensure its consumption by people to overcome malnutrition-related complications.

They gave the importance at the event titled “Rice Grain Value Chain Actor’s Meeting’ organised by RDRS Bangladesh at its Training Centre in the city with the assistance of HarvestPlus Bangladesh on Thursday afternoon.

Thirty-five agriculturists, paddy traders, rice wholesalers, auto rice millers, female leaders of community-based organisations and journalists attended the meeting arranged under the Integrated Food Systems Approach to Build Nutrition Security (IFS) project.

District Controller of Food Md Abdul Kader attended the event as the chief guest with Head of Administration and General Service of RDRS Bangladesh Md Nazrul Ghani in the chair. Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh

Agriculturist Mamunur Rashid delivered a welcome speech narrating the goals and objectives of the IFS project with the assistance of HarvestPlus Bangladesh.

“We are supplying quality seeds of zinc rice to farmers through rice seed dealers and retailers, collecting produced paddy through paddy traders and reaching those to auto rice millers and marketing the rice through local rice traders making those available at lower costs at the grassroots level,” he said.

Agriculture Research and Development Officer of HarvestPlus Bangladesh

Agriculturist Ruhul Amin discussed the success achieved in farming zinc- enriched rice and put importance on ensuring an integrated marketing system in the country.

“Zinc deficiency hinders physical and mental growth of children, causes baldness, maternal problems, disease infestation, diarrhoea and pneumonia and other complications,” he said, adding that zinc plays a vital role in reducing infertility and increasing immunity.

The chief guest suggested keeping the nutritional values of zinc rice intact by husking the paddy using ‘Dheki’, a traditional wooden device now on the verge of extinction, for its regular consumption by people to eliminate deficit of minerals and nourishments.

“The Agriculture Secretary recently wanted to know about zinc rice to make special plans and recommend giving the rice to beneficiaries of the open market sale, vulnerable group development and vulnerable group feeding programmes,” he said.

Taking part virtually as special guest, Country Representative of HarvestPlus Bangladesh Dr Md Khairul Bashar discussed the newly evolved zinc- enriched BRRI dhan100 rice and suggested working with different organisations to popularise the rice.

Project Coordinator-IFS project Md. Mozibar Rahman, Taraganj Upazila Controller of Food KM Tariqul Islam, Taraganj Upazila Agriculture Officer Agriculturist Urmi Tabassum, among others, were present.