Questions/Answers

Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) is primarily mandated to make peaceful use of nuclear and advanced techniques to boost agricultural production. The specific objectives of the initiative are:  to ensure a stable and productive agriculture through evolution of new varieties of crops  scientific management of land and water, development of appropriate technology to improve quality and quantity of crops  development of methods for control of disease and insect, and management of pest  carry out demonstration or trial-runs of new varieties of crops and their management practices  to ensure transfer of technologies to farmers as well as feedback from them to research programs.

BINA has developed several high yielding, short duration, stress tolerant, nutrient rich, and premium quality varieties of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, jute, and horticultural crops as well as climate resilient technologies for sustaining agricultural production. BINA is also working for the improvement of landraces for stress tolerance and high yield potential. These technologies have been contributing to increase cropping intensity, enhancing biodiversity and increasing farmer’s income. All these efforts are contributing to food and nutritional security of the country.

The initiatives are directly related to SDGs Goal 1 (No Poverty) and Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). The first two SDGs are highly dependent on the profitable and sustainable agriculture. The initiative supports the following targets: 2.1 End hunger and ensure food access by all people, 2.2 End all forms of malnutrition 2.3 Double the agricultural productivity and income of small-scale food producers 2.4 Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices 2.5 Maintain the genetic diversity of crops, cultivated varieties and their related wild species BINA developed high yielding crop varieties and modern crop management practices are playing significant role in increasing productivity in agriculture. By cultivating the salt tolerant rice varieties of BINA, 30% of the salt affected lands could be brought under cultivation. Through the cultivation of submergence tolerant rice varieties of BINA, will bring about 50% of flash-flood affected lands (1.3 million ha) of Bangladesh under cultivation. These varieties will produce almost 6.5 million tons of additional food by 2030 which will help to ensure food security of the country. Furthermore, by the cultivation of short duration crop varieties, farmers can accommodate one or two more crops in their filed which ultimately returns more profit to the farmers and eliminating poverty.

BINA has developed crop varieties tolerant to different stresses e.g. drought, salinity and submergence. Salt tolerant rice varieties Binadhan-8 and Binadhan-10 covers 20% of total rice cultivable land in Bangladesh, while submergence tolerant rice varieties Binadhan-11 and Binadhan-12 increases the rice yield in submergence prone areas. Moreover, short duration and low-input varieties (Binadhan-17, Binadhan-19) are contributing to increase cropping intensity and more economic benefit to farmers. BINA developed bio-fertilizers for leguminous crops are helping in maintaining soil-health. Water-efficient technologies are helping to maintain sustainability in water resources. Thus the varieties and technologies are contributing to sustainable and economic agricultural production.

The dry, north-western part of Bangladesh receives low rainfall, thus low yield of Aman-rice. Short duration rice variety Binadhan-7, Binadhan-16 and Binadhan-17 escapes drought and facilitates mitigation of ‘Monga’ (seasonal unemployment) in north-western part. Two submergence tolerant rice varieties Binadhan-11 and Binadhan-12 can tolerate up to 20-25 days of submergence, and can produce 5.0-5.5 t/ha of yield under stress condition. These varieties could be a hope for the farmers in the flash flood prone areas. ‘Binadhan-14’, short duration, late transplanting potential, high temperature (~36ºC) tolerant variety. Due to its special features, farmers can accommodate an extra crop like mustard, lentil, vegetables, etc. Binadhan-20, a biofortified rice variety contains 27.5 ppm zinc and 25-31 ppm iron which can supplement zinc and iron for children, pregnant and lactating women. About 30% nitrogen fertilizer and 50% water saving Green Super Rice Binadhan-17 is contributing to the production of high yield at low cost. Salt tolerant rice varieties ‘Binadhan-8’ and ‘Binadhan-10’ can accomplish normal growth in saline (8-12 dS/m) soil. Through the cultivation of these two varieties, it will be possible to bring almost 30% of the salt affected lands under rice production. Thus, fallow lands of coastal saline areas will be under cultivation.

BINA developed technologies are also related to Gender equality (Goal 5) and Climate action (Goal 13). ‘Gender equality’ is achieving through the creation of opportunity and involvement of women in the agricultural activities by BINA developed agricultural technologies. ‘Climate action’ is achieved through sustainable natural resource management by the development of climate resilient technologies.

BINA developed 117 high yielding varieties of 18 different crop species through mutation and other advanced techniques. BINA also developed 109 technologies of soil, water and agronomic management. These crop varieties and management technologies are playing a significant role in Bangladesh agriculture ensuring food security. BINA developed crop varieties and agronomic technologies covers 12-14% which ensure increased cropping intensity, higher income of farmers and improved livelihood of farmer’s community.

BINA has 13 research divisions (at Head Quarters, Mymensingh) and 14 regional research and extension centres throughout the country. Overall, the research activities are monitored by senior scientists and divisional Heads, and Director Research. In addition, a formal research monitoring and evaluation committee supervises the field research, farmers trials, and seed production activities. The developed promising crop mutants/lines are tested at regional stations along with National Seed Certification Agency. After formal application to the concern national seed certification agency, it is monitored and evaluated with a committee, and the report is placed to the National Technical Committee of National Seed Board (NSB) for final decision to accept or reject the mutants/lines as a variety. In case of technology, it is evaluated by an institutional Task Force/committee, and then finally accepted or rejected it by the controlling authority.

 Lack of Modernization and Mechanization at farmers level  Most of the farmers are illiterate  Ignorance of new technologies  Lack of Funds  Poor Infrastructure/ Lack of social amenities.  Lack of facilities to preserve seeds  Loss of land to natural disaster, urbanization and industrialization. These obstacles may be overcome by trained farmers about new technologies, field demonstration and cultivating high yielding crop varieties. The use of modern mechanization techniques are popularizing day by day.

In the past, southern part of Bangladesh (the seasonal saline prone area), and the north-western drought-prone area were cultivated by local, low-yielding crop variety resulting low crop yield. BINA developed stress tolerant and high yielding varieties brought a revolutory change in such problematic areas. BINA developed other short-duration rice crop varieties creates opportunity to include pulse and oil-seed crop, and thus increased cropping intensity of the country, and thus contributing a great deal to change national economy and social well-being.

The initiative has taken by BINA which is recognized by national and international organizations, and thus drew attentions of local and foreign institutes/organizations and hence inspired them a lot. The salt tolerant rice varieties (Binadhan-8 & Binadhan-10) and submergence tolerant (Binadhan-11 & Binadhan-12), short duration variety (Binadhan-7 & Binadhan-17) of BINA has been distributed to India and Nepal through tri-partite agreement with IRRI’s coordination and also distributed to Srilanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, Myanmar and several African countries.

BINA has been using nuclear instruments and tools/techniques. The 60Co and Gamma source are using to irradiate the seeds to create variability in characteristics, and finally helped to choose a desired crop variety. The biotechnology lab of BINA are helping to diagnose/ensure the target gene of desired character, thus helping to identify stress tolerant and nutrient rich varieties. Moreover, use of nuclear tools and techniques helped to identify appropriate management technology for potential crop yield.

As a part of the mandate, the developed crop varieties and technologies has been transferring to farmers of the country through 14 substations (local office), farmers training, through the channel of Department of Agricultural Extension, training, demonstration farmer’s field day, and mass media. In regard to the context of adoption to other countries, BINA developed crop varieties are even adopted to abroad.

With a total of 132 scientists (having 100% MS and 60% PhD degree), BINA is conducting research with the aid nuclear and advanced technologies. BINA has a good number of specialized equipments (e.g. 60Co source, IRMS, Neutron Moisture Meter, etc.) and also uses isotopic tracers for problem solving activities in plant-soil-water system. BINA is also getting technical support from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which helped to continuing nuclear aided research.

Crop varieties (rice, pulses, oil seeds) and technologies (in the field of soil, water, insect-pest, and other agronomic management) developed by BINA are climate resilient (biotic and abiotic stress tolerant), short duration, and high yielding. These special characteristics make them sustainable over time. The short duration varieties facilitated increased cropping intensity (more crop per year per unit of land) which makes them financially profitable.

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National Seed Certification Agency (NSCA): Growing crop varieties under different field conditions 9at different agro-ecological zones of the country). National Seed Board of Bangladesh: Based on the technical report of technical committee and evaluating all factors, the board certified a line/mutant as a new variety. Institutional technology evaluation committee: For the management technologies, the committee evaluates the field performance and recommend for release a technology.

For the crop variety: yield data (superiority to the existing one), quality (nutritional, cooking, etc.), resistant/tolerant to biotic and/or abiotic stresses, input requirements (lower/higher), climate resiliency, economic superiority. For the technology: Climate resiliency, economic superiority, input availability, sustainability, environmental aspects (hazardous or not).

Based on the forthcoming programs/initiatives, the required financial budget is demanded to the Government through Ministry of Agriculture. Upon the approval of the budget, detail program are called to the component divisions. During the technical discussion/evaluation of the programs/initiatives, the experts place their opinion based on the resources (technological, financial, manpower capacity), and the programs/initiatives are finalized for short-term, medium-term and long-term basis. Accordingly, the initiatives are forwarded to the respective implementation units/divisions. If required, additional budget are demanded to the ministry with reason, and the resource is mobilized upon availability and satisfaction.

BINA is National Agricultural Research System (NARS) Institute under the umbrella of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), and under financial and administrative control of Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. BINA has 13 research divisions (at HQ, Mymensingh) and 14 regional research and extension centres throughout the country. The research activities are monitored by senior scientists and divisional Heads, and director research.

BINA has linkage with several local organizations like DAE, BADC, NARS Institutes, and Universities, NGOs (BRAC, GKF, Proshika, BAUEC), and International organizations like FAO, IRRI, IAEA, ICRISAT, ICARDA, IEDA/CAAS, MNA, CNRRI, AVRDC, UNDP, IDB, etc. Through joint collaboration, BINA developed specific problem solving technologies and disseminate them to end users (farmers).

Lesson learned: - Sustaining agricultural growth under dwindling land and water resources is challenging, specially under climate vagaries - Collaborative research work is useful for problem solving under global change condition with local and international institutions/organizations. Plan to improve initiative: - Capacity building (improvement of skill of the scientists, particularly to initiate basic research) - Partnership with other relevant national and international organizations - Research projects targeting specific problem solving.