A three-day regional course on producing good-quality hybrid vegetable seed opened in Bhutan on Monday, 5 October. Titled "Hybrid seed production of vegetables for SAARC member states", it began at the National Centre for Organic Agriculture in Yusipang and runs until 7 October.
It is organised by the Department of Agriculture of Bhutan's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock with the support of the SAARC Agriculture Centre in Dhaka. According to the centre's press release, the course is hybrid in format: about 30 researchers from Bhutan attend in person, while representatives from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka take part online.
The focus is hybrid seed production of tomato and chilli. Alongside technical lectures there are hands-on exercises, laboratory and field demonstrations and group learning. The topics include managing the parent plants, emasculation, pollination, keeping varieties genetically pure, harvesting and storing seed, and seed quality control.
Bhutan's Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho, was chief guest at the opening. He said improved seed technology can play a major part in food and nutrition security and in coping with climate change, diseases and pests, and that the returns on investment in seed technology, research and people must reach farmers.
Tanvir Ahmed Tarafder, a director at the SAARC Secretariat, was special guest. Bangladesh's ambassador to Bhutan Maleka Parvin, Neha Yadav, first secretary at the Indian embassy, and the director general of the multilateral affairs department of Bhutan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade also attended.
The organisers say stronger regional capacity in hybrid seed production would make quality seed easier to get across South Asia, cut dependence on imports and strengthen local seed systems.
The report is by Banglanews24's special correspondent, based on a press release from the SAARC Agriculture Centre.
Source: Banglanews24
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