Agri minister calls on ministries to utilise unused lands for cultivation

Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque has sought cooperation from three ministries concerned to undertake the initiative of cultivation in the arable lands procured by sugar, jute and textile mills, and Bangladesh Railway.

The minister wrote to the ministries urging that initiatives can be taken to grow food grains, vegetables, pulses and oilseeds on unutilized cultivable lands under government-owned institutions to tackle possible food shortages driven by ongoing global crises.

"Institutions under the Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Textiles and Jute - like sugar and jute mills, textile factories, and railways - can make an attempt to use the empty lots to help increase food production in the country," Abdur Razzaque said adding that concerned upazila agriculture officer of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) under the Agriculture Ministry of will provide necessary support in this regard.

The letter further notes, "Food production and marketing systems are already stressed by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war after a long global pandemic. Besides, there is a fear of food shortage following the price hike of agri essentials like fertilizers and fuel due to supply disruption."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called to boost agricultural production in the country to be self-reliant on food. She also gave instructions to leave no land unused.

In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture is working tirelessly to increase the area of cultivated land, promote residential gardening and bring unused places under plantation, the letter added.