President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said farmers and everyone else involved in agriculture must become far more conscious about controlling the indiscriminate use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, 16 September, at Bangabhaban during a courtesy call by a delegation from Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Abdul Latif, the delegation briefed the President on the university's activities.

Excessive and unnecessary use of chemical fertiliser and pesticides is doing severe long-term damage to soil health, the environment and public health, the President said. He urged agricultural universities and all the institutions concerned to work in a coordinated way to alert farmers to the danger.

To build a sustainable, modern agriculture, the President stressed the effective application of research-based technology in the field, safe food production and environment-friendly farming practices, and called for closer coordination between agricultural education, research and extension. Secretaries of the President's Office were present.

Overdosing with fertiliser and pesticide raises a farmer's costs, depletes soil organic matter and kills the insects and birds that work in the crop's favour; the President's message points to a push for balanced fertiliser management and integrated pest management at field level.

Source: banglanews24