Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology Stakeholder Consultation Workshops Final Report Akhter U. Ahmed, M. Mehrab Bakhtiar, Julie Ghostlaw, Aklima Parvin, ASM Mahbubur Rahman Khan, Nasreen Sultana, Rezaul Karim Siddique, and Subrata Kumar Kundu MARCH 2021 FINAL REPORT Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology Stakeholder Consultation Workshops Final Report Akhter U. Ahmed1, M. Mehrab Bakhtiar, Julie Ghostlaw, Aklima Parvin ASM Mahbubur Rahman Khan, Nasreen Sultana, Rezaul Karim Siddique, and Subrata Kumar Kundu Prepared for United States Agency for International Development Award No. 7200AA19CA00019 Submitted by International Food Policy Research Institute Feed the Future Bangladesh Agricultural Policy Activity: Component 2 House 10A, Road 35, Gulshan 2, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh March 2021 1Akhter U. Ahmed (a.ahmed@cgiar.org) is the corresponding author for comments and queries. Funding for this work was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Bangladesh Agricultural Policy Activity: Component 2. This publication has not been independently peer-reviewed. Any opinions stated herein are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily representative of or endorsed by IFPRI or USAID. mailto:a.ahmed@cgiar.org AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY i CONTENTS Acronyms ................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... vi 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview of Stakeholder Consultation Workshops ......................................................... 1 1.2 Program Format and Participation .................................................................................. 1 1.3 Organization of Report ................................................................................................... 2 2 Barishal District ................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Perspectives from Government ...................................................................................... 3 2.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors ......................................................... 7 2.3 Perspectives from the Private Sector and NGOs ............................................................ 8 2.4 Concluding Findings ....................................................................................................... 8 3 Cox’s Bazar District ............................................................................................................10 3.1 Perspectives from Government .....................................................................................10 3.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors ........................................................13 3.3 Perspectives from NGOs, Private Sector, and Other Participants ..................................14 3.4 Concluding Findings ......................................................................................................15 4 Dhaka District ....................................................................................................................16 4.1 Perspectives from Government .....................................................................................16 4.2 Perspectives from NGOs, Private Sector, and Academia ..............................................18 4.3 Concluding Findings / Opportunities ..............................................................................18 5 Jashore District ..................................................................................................................19 5.1 Perspectives from Government .....................................................................................19 5.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors ........................................................22 5.3 Perspectives from NGOs, Academia, and Private Sector ..............................................23 5.4 Concluding Findings ......................................................................................................25 6 Khulna District ....................................................................................................................26 6.1 Perspectives from National Agricultural Research Institutes and Government ...............26 6.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors ........................................................30 6.3 Perspectives from NGOs, Academia, and Private Sector ..............................................32 6.4 Concluding Findings ......................................................................................................33 7 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................35 7.1 Genetically Engineered (GE) Crops and Biotechnology .................................................35 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY ii 7.1.1 Status/Challenges ..................................................................................................35 7.1.2 Opportunities .........................................................................................................36 7.2 Non-GMO crops (e.g., rice, oilseeds and pulses, vegetables, etc.) ................................37 7.2.1 Status/Challenges ..................................................................................................37 7.2.2 Opportunities .........................................................................................................38 7.3 Livestock and Poultry ....................................................................................................39 7.3.1 Status/Challenges ..................................................................................................39 7.3.2 Opportunities .........................................................................................................40 7.4 Fisheries ........................................................................................................................40 7.4.1 Status/Challenges ..................................................................................................40 7.4.2 Opportunities .........................................................................................................40 Appendix 1: Invitation ................................................................................................................42 Appendix 2: Program ................................................................................................................43 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY iii ACRONYMS AHPND Acute Hepato-Pancreatic Necrosis Disease APSU Agricultural Policy Support Unit AWD Alternate Wetting and Drying BADC Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation BARC Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council BARI Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute BCC Biosafety Core Committee BDT Bangladeshi Taka BFRI Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute BINA Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture BLRI Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute BRRI Bangladesh Rice Research Institute BSMRAU Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University CDB Cotton Development Board CRISPR Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats DAE Department of Agricultural Extension DLO District Livestock Officer DLS Department of Livestock Services DoF Department of Fisheries EWG Expert Working Group FAO Food and Agriculture Organization FMD Foot and Mouth Disease FSB Fruit and Shoot Borer GE Genetically Engineered GOB Government of Bangladesh GR-1 Golden Rice First Generation GR-2 Golden Rice Second Generation IBC Institutional Biosafety Committee IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute JUST Jashore University for Science and Technology Kg Kilogram LSD Lumpy Skin Disease MCC Multi-Colored Chicken MoA Ministry of Agriculture MoEF Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change MT Metric Ton NCB National Committee on Biosafety NGO Non-Governmental Organization NTCCB National Technical Committee on Crop Biotechnology PG Pituitary Gland PRSSP Policy Research and Strategy Support Program AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY iv RARS Regional Agricultural Research Station RCC Red Chittagong Cattle RDC Rice and Diversified Crops RFS Bureau for Resilience and Food Security SDG Sustainable Development Goal SHISUK Shikha Shastha Unnayan Karzakram SME Small and Medium Enterprise SRDI Soil Resource Department Institute SUFO Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer UAF United Agro Fisheries UAO Upazila Agriculture Officer ULO Upazila Livestock Officer USAID U.S. Agency for International Development WSSV White Spot Syndrome Virus ZOI Zone of Influence ZOR Zone of Resilience AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report is an output of the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology virtual stakeholder consultation workshops, organized by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), which took place from December 6-10, 2020. We gratefully acknowledge USAID for funding these workshops through the Bangladesh Agricultural Policy Activity under USAID Award Number 7200AA19CA00019. USAID provided significant guidance throughout the planning and implementation of the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology stakeholder consultation workshops. In particular, we appreciate support from Dr. Osagie Aimiuwu, Deputy Director, Economic Growth Office & Feed the Future Team Lead; Mr. Mohammad Shibly, Project Management Specialist; and Mr. Mehedi Hasan, Project Management Specialist. We thank Green Ink, a Bangladeshi public relations and media content firm, for facilitating the Zoom workshops, providing written translation during the virtual workshops, and transcribing and translating the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology virtual workshops. We appreciate The Right Kind, a strategic consultancy and implementation agency, for its rapporteur services and written translation during the workshops, as well as support towards the production of this report. In particular, we thank Shamim Ahmed, Project Officer, The Right Kind for his contributions. We acknowledge support from USAID-funded Feed the Future activities in nominating and supporting the participation of various stakeholders in a variety of ways, including by providing transport, office space, and internet connectivity, and other troubleshooting. We also appreciate Mr. Tauhid Anam Litu and Mr. Md. Nazmul Shakib Shuvo for their field-level support in enabling various participants to have their voices heard in these important consultations. We appreciate the contributions of the entire IFPRI-Bangladesh team, who relentlessly supported the planning, implementation, and synthesis of the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology stakeholder consultation workshops. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY From December 6-10, 2020, USAID organized and IFPRI facilitated five virtual stakeholder consultation workshops on agricultural research and biotechnology, bringing together relevant stakeholders involved in crop and non-crop agriculture from Barishal, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Jashore, and Khulna districts in southern Bangladesh. This format aimed to capture the views and perceptions of a range of relevant actors on the status, opportunities and challenges, and recommendations for improving agricultural research and biotechnology. This report presents the subjective views of participants who are affected by and have a stake in these discussions, from value chain actors who have had challenges cultivating certain varieties and raising certain breeds due to climate-related challenges to researchers who are developing new varieties and breeds accounting for these ground-level challenges. Although the authors have substantiated parts of this report with primary and secondary data sources, the major thrust of this report is to communicate perspectives as they were framed during the workshops. Although stakeholder responses reflect varying knowledge levels of biotechnology among participants, some of which may be convoluted or inaccurate, this report preserves the diversity of stakeholder input as an honest reflection of the opinions received. Although there are unique, context-specific challenges that were identified across districts, there were several recurring themes. There was a general consensus that agricultural research and biotechnology, however broadly defined, are important for addressing emerging challenges, particularly in the wake of increasing frequency and severity of weather-related hazards and natural disasters. To this end, tackling agricultural production problems requires developing new, innovative technologies. National agricultural research systems, including Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), and Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), to name a few, have various varieties and breeds in the pipeline for development, yet despite these ongoing efforts, agricultural production patterns remain relatively unchanged in Bangladesh. Many farmers continue to cultivate outdated varieties—particularly rice, despite not being as profitable or climate-resilient. Furthermore, participants identified a supply-demand gap for various varieties and breeds. For example, there was a resounding call for greater availability of short-duration varieties, which can be accommodated within the cropping pattern and improves the chances of being harvested before crops can be damaged. Development and adoption of appropriate varieties is critical considering that the total cultivable land in Bangladesh cannot expand. Participants recommended further research on crop zoning to determine which crops should be cultivated where, as a way to increase cropping intensity. Similarly, farmers’ views of Bt brinjal cultivation were mostly positive, generally earning a higher profit than local varieties and being less susceptible to fruit and shoot borer (FSB) infestation, yet most producers stated there is insufficient seed supply inhibiting their production decisions. Other farmers reported positive experiences cultivating certain rice varieties, but were deterred from pursuing these further as consumers prefer thicker rice grains or the rice remains firm when it is cooked. Unique to biotech crops, participants across the workshops recommended that improved labelling would improve visibility of the products, consumer awareness, and AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY vii transparency. In sum, research and development must account for the entire food value chain to improve varietal and breed adoption and market acceptance. Despite the prevailing supply-demand gaps affecting various varieties and breeds, participants acknowledged that there was limited private sector involvement in developing genetically engineered varieties or multiplying certain crops. During the workshops, this was attributed to either lack of interest among the private sector or lack of meaningful collaboration with government research agencies. During the workshops, many farmers reported lacking access to high quality agricultural inputs, including low-cost hybrid seeds, animal feed, bio-pesticides, fertilizers, and so on—a claim supported by numerous attending local-level agricultural extension officials. Exacerbating the situation, there were reports that many agricultural input dealers take advantage of farmers’ lack of awareness and limited options for recourse by hiking prices of seeds, pesticides, and other critical inputs, leading farmers to either ‘pay the freight’ or forgo the costs and inputs altogether and, in turn, reduce their crop or non-crop productivity. Participants suggested that Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) may prioritize training seed and feed dealers on how to handle and sell their agricultural inputs, as well as increased monitoring to mitigate market manipulation. Moreover, participants stressed increasing the availability of low-cost local agricultural machineries to lower labor costs; reduce reliance on agricultural labor, which can be in short-supply for certain crops; and boost agricultural productivity. Lack of value chain development inhibits the growth of non-rice crop agriculture and non-crop agriculture like fisheries and livestock, most of which rely on packaging, storage, transport, and other services to maintain the market quality of their products or enable a product to be export- ready. During the consultations, various crops, livestock breeds, and fish varieties were discussed as having potential in the region—watermelon, seaweed, dried fish, various types of flowers, and so on—yet farmers lack the proper training on how to preserve these products, market linkages and consumer awareness are absent, and there are insufficient systems to minimize post-harvest loss. Other products, such as cotton, face issues with inadequate labor supply, or confront challenges in the processing procedure, in line with international regulations. These ‘high potential’ areas will remain untapped until value chains are more developed. Overall, agricultural research has identified various priority areas for advancing agricultural development in the country, many areas where biotechnology—either through conventional methods or otherwise—can contribute. Solutions must address the needs and demands of actors across the value chain. Broadly, there must be increased coordination and collaboration among the public and private sector, which can help improve availability of high quality agricultural inputs and identify domestic or international markets for agricultural goods. The research agenda underlying varietal and breed development must be client-centered, considering producers’ financial incentives and consumers’ preferences to improve likelihood of adoption and acceptance. In conjunction, as Bangladesh is divided into 30 agro-ecological zones, more research should be conducted on which crops should be cultivated where. As there has been relatively limited progress on agricultural diversification nationwide and in the Feed the Future Zone of Influence (ZOI), this warrants more research on the drivers of production decisions and how to diversify production in the respective geographic areas. The respective agricultural extension agencies of crop, livestock, and fisheries should also train farmers on production fundamentals: proper feeding methods; optimal utilization of agricultural inputs, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY viii including for biotech crops; maintenance of crops, livestock, or fisheries (e.g., how to treat disease or infestation); and other troubleshooting support on an ongoing basis. This report makes an ambitious attempt to capture an array of insights on the vast area of commercializing agricultural research and biotechnology. This summary provides a high altitude perspective of the challenges and opportunities in this arena. To complement, there is a dedicated chapter for all five district workshops in this report, each of which closes with salient points at the district-level. Furthermore, the conclusion of the report (Section 7) provides a more comprehensive deep dive into the challenges and recommendations emanating from the stakeholder consultation discussions, outlined by agricultural sector. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 1 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview of Stakeholder Consultation Workshops On September 18, 2020, USAID requested IFPRI to conduct 15 stakeholder consultations on three thematic areas across five districts in the Feed the Future Zone of Influence (ZOI) and Zone of Resilience (ZOR): Barishal, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Jashore, and Khulna. The thematic areas are: (1) Increased Access to Finance, (2) Commercialization of Oilseeds and Pulses, and (3) Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology. IFPRI agreed to conduct these stakeholder consultations and, on October 25, 2020, USAID approved IFPRI’s concept note on the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology thematic area (Appendix 1). This concept note incorporated comments from the USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS). 1.2 Program Format and Participation The Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology virtual stakeholder consultation workshops were conducted from December 6-10, 2020, co-moderated by Dr. A.S.M. Mahbubur Rahman Khan, Dr. Nasreen Sultana, Mr. Rezaul Karim Siddique, and Mr. Subrata Kumar Kundu. Each of the five Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology stakeholder consultation workshops was approximately two hours long. Table 1.1 provides the workshop agenda, which includes a briefing on the Zoom technical functionalities (e.g., mute, raise hand, using the chat box), followed by welcome remarks, an overview presentation by the technical moderators, breakout sessions, and concluding remarks from the technical moderators. Appendix 2 provides the designed workshop agenda that was projected during the workshops. Table 1.1 Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology workshop agenda Time (BDT) Topics 9:20 9:35 Introduction to Zoom Functionalities 9:35 9:40 Welcome/Introductory Remarks by USAID and IFPRI 9:40 9:48 Overview Presentation and Objectives of the Consultation 9:50 11:25 Discussion with Stakeholders [Breakout Room Format] 11:25 11:30 Concluding Remarks Between October and November 2020, IFPRI and Feed the Future activities nominated potential stakeholders who met the following criteria: (1) were familiar or involved with agricultural research and/or biotechnology, (2) interested and available to participate, (3) had sufficient digital literacy to participate effectively in a Zoom consultation, and (4) were working in one of the five districts (either based in the district or remotely). Table 1.2 presents the number of total participants for the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology stakeholder consultation workshops, by the 10 stakeholder categories proposed by USAID and by district. Appendix 1 features the Bangla and English invitation letters that were sent to the nominated stakeholders. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2 Table 1.2 Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology district workshop participation, by stakeholder category District Workshops Stakeholder Categories Barishal Cox’s Bazar Dhaka Jashore Khulna Total Academia 0 1 0 0 0 1 Value Chain Actors 20 9 6 14 26 75 CSOs 0 0 0 0 0 0 Donor/Donor-Funded Activities 8 7 15 10 8 48 Government 26 18 41 23 36 144 Judiciary 0 0 0 0 0 0 Media 0 0 1 0 0 1 NGOs 9 3 7 7 7 33 Private Sector 0 2 18 7 4 31 Financial Institutions 1 1 0 0 0 2 Total 64 41 88 61 81 335 1.3 Organization of Report This report is organized into seven sections. Section 1 presents the objectives of the stakeholder consultation workshops, the program format and participation by district and overall, and the structure of this report. Given the geographic differences in agricultural research and biotechnology across the five districts of interest, Sections 2 through 6 present a comprehensive overview of the discussions from Barishal, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka, Jashore, and Khulna to ensure that the challenges, opportunities, and recommendations in each district are adequately captured. Section 7 concludes with the salient findings and recommendations. Please note that this report presents the discussions from the workshops as they took place. The authors have sought to remain objective in presenting this information. As such, this output is a consultation workshop proceeding, and is not meant to represent a research output. Participant names have been excluded from the report to protect the confidentiality of participants; instead, organizations and designations are presented to convey the participants’ perspectives. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 3 2 BARISHAL DISTRICT On December 6, 2020, USAID organized and IFPRI facilitated the Commercialization of Agricultural Research and Biotechnology, stakeholder consultation workshop to glean insights from representatives on the status, opportunities and challenges, and recommendations related to the commercialization of agricultural research and biotechnology in Barishal. 2.1 Perspectives from Government Part of the Barishal workshop focused on understanding the priorities of the national research institutions—including but not limited to the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI)—and the challenges of conducting agricultural research. The Chief Scientific Officer, BRRI, Barishal discussed research on Golden Rice—a genetically engineered, biofortified crop developed to reduce vitamin A deficiencies. Research on Golden Rice first generation (GR-1) was initiated in 2005. The second generation of Golden Rice (GR- 2) has completed laboratory, greenhouse, and confined field trials in different parts of Barishal, and the performance was satisfactory. It is now awaiting biosafety approval and regulatory clearance. In addition to Golden Rice, BRRI has made significant progress in developing various climate-resilient varieties. The varieties presented by this BRRI representative and a subsequent BINA representative are summarized in Table 2.1. Despite this progress, the Chief Scientific Officer stated that there is still a need to develop and release improved, climate- resilient varieties that have a taller seedling height and better submergence capacity. Currently, BRRI supplies breeder seeds to the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) NGOs, and seed breeding companies via a list of more than 500 partners. BRRI also produces a smaller proportion of seeds for the farmers and demonstrations, and are applying several marketing strategies to aid in the commercialization of the hybrid seeds. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 4 Table 2.1 Varieties presented by select BARI and BINA participants Specialty Varieties More Information* Submergence-tolerant BRRI Dhan 51, BRRI Dhan 52, Bina Dhan 11 N/A Saline-tolerant BRRI Dhan 47, 61, and 67 BRRI Dhan 67 is especially popular and performs well in high salinity and normal conditions Short-duration BRRI Dhan 76 and 77 To counter flooding issues due to tidal waves, BRRI has released these varieties. The seedling heights of these two varieties are taller and have similar yield as locally-used varieties, but offer a shorter-duration for growth and harvest Zinc-enriched BRRI Dhan 62, BRRI Dhan 64, BRRI Dhan 74, BRRI Dhan 84, Bina Dhan 20 BRRI Dhan 64 matures in 100 days, yet is not popular in Barishal since it is not saline-tolerant. BRRI Dhan 74 gives a high yield, has taller seedlings, is more stress-resilient, and has high amylose content. BRRI Dhan 97 and 99 Recently, BRRI has released BRRI Dhan 97 and 99, which shows promise. Short-duration, salinity-tolerant Bina Dhan 10 Bina Dhan 17 Green super rice cultivated in highland areas *This information was provided by two representatives from BARI and BINA during the consultation; the information included in this table is presented as it was narrated. A BINA representative in Barishal identified cropping intensity as the main challenge in Barishal. To this end, adopting short-term crop varieties like Bina Dhan 10 can enhance cropping intensity in the region. BINA Dhan 10 is saline-tolerant and produces bold grains. These varieties are also included in Table 2.1. Farmers tend to prefer cultivating traditional varieties; therefore, changing farmers’ production practices to cultivate new, advanced, stress-resilient varieties requires concerted efforts. Additionally, farmers should alter their current cropping pattern into a triple cropping pattern. To accomplish this, BINA is supplying seeds to gradually alter farmers’ cropping patterns. A BARI representative identified seed availability as a key issue in Barishal. For instance, various non-rice crops that are grown in Barishal, such as maize, oilseeds, and pulses, are not widely available. Additionally, various advanced hybrid varieties have been developed, but are not consistently available to farmers. Examples include BARI Maize 13 and BARI Maize 9, which are popular; BARI Sweet Potato 7, which gives a good yield; BARI Potatoes 72, 73, and 78, which are resistant to heat; and BARI Sweet Potato 4 and 8, which are carotene-enriched. Another example is BARI Mungbean 6, which the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) distributed to farmers, but seed production is insufficient. Currently, BADC, DAE, and BARI cannot keep up with farmers’ demand. Furthermore, although there are private seed companies that supply seeds to farmers, even the private sector is not adequately filling AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 5 this supply-demand gap in the district. Participants recommended that private sector and NGOs should complement the public sector by multiplying these hybrid seeds and fill the gaps to ensure that high quality seeds are available to farmers. BARI distributed Bt brinjal seeds to southern regions of Bangladesh, such as Patuakhali, Amtali, and Dumki upazilas. This variety has been very well-received by farmers, as it is pest-resistant, and has high market demand because Bt brinjal remains fresh longer compared with local varieties. However, there have been some challenges regarding Bt Brinjal 2: sometimes its color fades, tastes bitter, and is comparatively smaller in size. A BARI Chief Scientific Officer in Barishal asserted that due to the environment in Barishal, it takes time for a seed to sprout. The representative stated that BARI had supplied 82 kg of Bt brinjal seeds in 11 upazilas, and there is still more demand for it. Another BARI colleague reinforced that Bt brinjal is especially popular in Bhola and Patuakhali upazilas. The BARI researchers in Barishal collect these seeds from the BARI Headquarters and produce it at their field station, which is then distributed to the farmers. Additionally, farmers can produce their seeds as it is an open-pollinated plant. There are some private companies interested in multiplying Bt brinjal seeds, but he has not heard of any private companies actually multiplying them. A BARI Scientific Officer stated that he works with crop toxicity and their solutions. “Nowadays, many new insects and diseases are emerging due to climate change,” he said. One example is the whitefly infesting coconuts, which destroys the fruit. BARI has identified 15 such insects and disease issues, which are commonly found in coconuts, betel leaf, mungbeans, areca nut, and hog plums. Given this, research is needed on ways to minimize infestation via gene-editing, similar to what has been achieved in the development of Bt brinjal. Despite advancements in research, these research findings are not always trickling down to the field-level to benefit farmers. The BARI Scientific Officer stated, “Seed production is sub- optimal, bio-pesticides are not easily available, farmers are not aware of the benefits of using the bio-pesticides, and the relatively high prices of pesticides and seeds are undercutting farmers’ access to these critical inputs.” Although many bio-pesticides that were not previously registered in Bangladesh are now more widely available, farmers are often manipulated by dealers to buy expensive products or use pesticides that are not needed. BADC’s Deputy Director of Seed Marketing stated that Barishal is agronomically diverse, has unique cropping patterns, and faces unique challenges that undercut agricultural productivity. “Land salinity is not the main issue in Barishal: tidal flood is,” he stressed. Normally, BRRI rice crop takes one month to sprout in Barishal, but it takes 10 days with the use of lake water. Since cropping patterns vary across Barishal, this makes it more challenging to distribute hybrid seeds to farmers uniformly. Therefore, he urged the DAE to play an active role in distributing these varieties to producers in high-potential areas. Barishal is affected by waterlogging. Several government projects on water management are being implemented, but participants state that these initiatives are largely uncoordinated. A BARI representative recommended further research on the use of a surgical drainage system, as well as on specialized cropping patterns for different regions with different agronomic characteristics. A proper irrigation system also needs to be built, in coordination with different departments, and community farming should be encouraged. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 6 The DAE Deputy Director stated that the main crops in the region are rice, and various oilseeds and pulses are secondary. “BRRI Dhan 76 and 77 are popular species in areas that are affected by tidal wave because they grow tall over the ground. BRRI Dhan 47, 67, and 74 are saline- tolerant species, all of which are popularly cultivated in Barishal. For oilseeds and pulses, BARI Mustard 14, 15, 18, along with Bina Mustard 4 and 9, are suitable choices. For pulses, there is Mungbean 6,” he said. Tidal waves, natural disasters, and climate change still present significant challenges in these areas. Thus, short-duration, submergence-tolerant species for rice, oilseeds, and pulses are required. The available biofortified varieties that are being marketed include BRRI Dhan62, which is a zinc-enriched variety, as well as BINA Dhan 20 and BRRI Dhan 74. These seeds are provided in adequate amounts by BADC, BARI, and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) seed providers created by a government subsidized program; however, some hybrid seeds like maize, which have good potential in the region, are not available in the region or the cost of these hybrid seeds is too much when produced by the private sector. Government support in providing these costly hybrid seeds to farmers would be beneficial. A representative from BARI in Bhola stated that the cropping pattern in this district is centered on vegetables, such as onions, cauliflower, tomatoes, pumpkins, and so on. Bt brinjal has been well-received in Bhola, and some farmers sell Bt brinjal in Dhaka at a good market price. However, most Bt brinjal farmers in Bhola do not have enough seeds since BADC does not produce these seeds. Furthermore, there is no BADC office in Bhola. Thus, they have to collect necessary seeds from the main city of Barishal. Nevertheless, the BARI representative opines that Bt brinjal has great potential in Bhola because it helps inhibit crop loss due to infestation. Farmers can sell all of the Bt brinjal harvest, which makes them more inclined to cultivate this variety. The DAE Deputy Director for Pirojpur stated that he supplies stress-tolerant BRRI Dhan 52, zinc-enriched BRRI Dhan 74, and promotes Bt brinjal in his district. To promote and commercialize these varieties, he conducted farmer demonstrations and distributed 15 kilograms (kg) of Bt brinjal seeds to farmers. Bt brinjal was already in demand but the seed production was insufficient to meet farmers’ demand. He advised big seed companies like Supreme Seeds, Metal Seeds, and similar organizations to intervene to increase seed availability. The DAE Deputy Director of Pirojpur stated that 30,000-35,000 hectares of cultivable land remains fallow every year due to climate change and the late Aman harvest. Currently, the DAE is trying to introduce sunflowers, oilseeds, pulses, and maize to fill this gap. The introduction of short-duration and submergence-tolerant varieties would also assist in filling this gap. The BADC Deputy Director from Barishal stated that the farmers are gradually adopting new genetically engineered crops and stress-tolerant varieties. To speed up this process, he advised dealer networks, BADC, and DAE to collaborate in encouraging and informing farmers of the benefits of these new varieties. Also, most farmers’ production decisions are motivated most by the commercial aspects of what they grow (e.g., market price, production cost, final yield). Therefore, any effort to increase adoption of new varieties should account for the profitability of these crops. The representative stressed that the consumers must know about the varieties to enhance market awareness and acceptance. Most Bangladeshis consume rice and are AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 7 reluctant to eat vegetables. “If rice can give all the nutrients and vitamins, then more nutritious varieties of rice should be brought to the market fast,” he said. The Deputy Research Director from the Agricultural Policy Support Unit (APSU) of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) suggested that new hybrid varieties of rice and vegetables are needed if the nation wants to reach the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of ending all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. He added that the taste and features of rice cannot be neglected because these features drive consumer preferences. 2.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors A farmer from Barishal said that he cultivates BRRI Dhan 28, 47, 66, and 74. Among these, BRRI Dhan 74 is a short-duration variety, which reduces the risk of submergence. However, when this rice is cooked, it becomes a little soft after some time. Therefore, although this farmer reports that BRRI Dhan74 has high yield, he has trouble selling it in the market compared with other rice varieties because of this issue after cooking. A different farmer cultivates BINA 10, 28, and 29. BINA 10 and 28 have lower yields than BINA 29, but BINA 28 matures fast, which is why it is popular as it can avoid climate-related issues like submergence. He suggested that if the ‘soft rice’ issue can be solved and proper awareness on the zinc content in rice can be raised, then the market demand for this rice can increase. Another farmer cultivates BRRI Dhan 11, 56, and 41, which are all hybrid rice species. Although these bring relatively high yields, sometimes insects destroy a portion of the crops. The farmer does not know of any newer varieties, which are more nutritious and give higher yields. If he knew about Bt brinjal and the biofortified crops, he would have cultivated them instead. A different farmer cultivates Bt brinjal. He stated that BARI Bt Brinjal 1 is smaller in size and BARI Bt Brinjal 2 tastes a little bitter, but BARI Bt Brinjal-4 looks appealing, the size and yield are good, and there is no insect infestation. A Bt brinjal farmer in Barishal asserted that the yield from Bt brinjal is good. Even though it is small in size, there is no pest infestation. Thus, he can utilize all of his crops, whereas 20-30 percent of the yield from local varieties is usually destroyed by pests. During the workshop, the farmer stated, “Some farmers adopted Bt brinjal after seeing me. The market price is good and the bitter taste complaints have diminished,” he added. He consumes the Bt brinjal and will continue to cultivate it if more open-pollinated, HYV seeds like these are provided. If the crop is not infested, then he does not need to use pesticides and the harvest remains organic. In such cases, both customers and farmers are attracted to such crops. Another farmer cultivates BARI Bt Brinjal 4 and testified that its yield is good and other farmers are also interested in cultivating this variety. However, the seeds are not available. He collected the seeds from the agricultural office and suggested that if the seeds were available earlier, he would have gotten a better price. This year, BRRI Dhan 73, 74, and 34 were brought to his area for testing and demonstrations. The plants were taller, submergence-tolerant, and the yield was estimated to be high, but a flood destroyed the crops. Nevertheless, the farmers from this participant’s area are still interested in cultivating Bt brinjal. An input dealer from Barishal said that 60 percent of the seed that he sold this year is the zinc- enriched BRRI Dhan 74, which is quickly replacing BRRI Dhan 47. He also stressed the need for short-duration oilseeds and pulses. He said that Bt brinjal does not have much presence in AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 8 the market yet, but has potential as it addresses the biggest threat of brinjal cultivation–pest infestation. He noted that farmers are not willing to cultivate new varieties easily. However, if more awareness is created and the farmers learn about Bt brinjal’s advantages, then its demand could increase further. An input dealer shared that he sells seeds for BRRI Dhan 28, 29, and 52. BRRI Dhan 52 is especially popular as its seedling is tolerant to waterlogging. He also sells the newer gene- fortified hybrids but the farmers are more inclined to continue cultivating the traditional varieties. However, he tries his best to convince them of using newer hybrid varieties. He confirmed that modern hybrid/GE varieties like golden rice will sell well if introduced to his area as long as the small seed providers and the DAE officials promote it. 2.3 Perspectives from the Private Sector and NGOs A representative from the USAID-funded Rice and Diversified Crops (RDC) activity implemented by ACDI/VOCA provided several discrete recommendations. First, he asserted that there is a need for cluster-based cropping research in Barishal. Second, further research should be done on developing a single-skinned black sesame variety, which has international demand. Third, climate change is resulting in rapidly evolving, unpredictable weather-related hazards that can damage crops; therefore, short-duration crop varieties are needed. For example, in Barishal, further research can be invested in developing a mungbean variety that can be harvested in two turns instead of three. Lastly, although maize hybrid varieties have potential in the region, the seeds are not available. The Executive Director of SAINT Bangladesh stated that farmers are still not using several of the hybrid crop varieties, and the sluice gates that control the water flow of the lakes in Barishal have negatively affected some farmers. 2.4 Concluding Findings The virtual stakeholder consultation workshop gleaned key insights on the status, challenges and opportunities, and ways forward for commercializing agricultural research and biotechnology in Barishal district. Select points are highlighted below: ● Tidal floods and water stagnation are key problems faced by farmers in the region. ● Private sector participation is almost non-existent for biofortified and genetically engineered crops, yet private sector involvement could assist with filling gaps in seed availability. ● There are many hybrid rice varieties that are popular in Barishal, especially zinc-enriched rice. Key steps towards commercializing zinc rice include arranging demonstration plots, supplying inputs to farmers at no cost (including seeds), and organizing farmers’ field days. HarvestPlus has also been successful at commercializing zinc rice by raising producer and consumer awareness of the new variety. ● Some farmers reported benefitting from Bt brinjal cultivation. Hybrid seeds for crops like oilseeds and pulses are not available. ● Prioritize the development and release of short-duration and climate-resilient varieties due to frequent, unpredictable weather-related issues that damage crops in Barishal. ● Land should be categorized by different topographies (e.g., low-, mid-, mid-high, and high- levels), which may guide the implementation of specialized cropping patterns, in coordination with DAE, BADC, SRDI and other relevant agencies. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 9 ● Conduct further research on developing a zinc rice variety that does not become soft when cooked. ● There are reports of input dealers and other traders that are misleading and manipulating farmers, causing them to purchase pesticides that they do not need or are not appropriate for their issue. Necessary training for farmers and traders is suggested to tackle this issue, as well as strengthened market monitoring. ● The government and the private sector must collaborate to commercialize agricultural research and bio-technological products. ● For seed varieties, bold seeds, tall plants, submergence-tolerant, and stress-tolerant varieties are needed due to the climate of these areas are frequently visited by storms, cyclones, floods, and so on. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 10 3 COX’S BAZAR DISTRICT On December 7, 2020, USAID organized and IFPRI facilitated a stakeholder consultation to glean insights from representatives on the status, opportunities and challenges, and recommendations related to the commercialization of agricultural research and biotechnology in Cox’s Bazar. 3.1 Perspectives from Government Various representatives from BARI, BRRI, BINA, and other government agencies discussed the status of agricultural research and biotechnology, challenges and opportunities, and ways forward in the southeastern district. Representatives from these government agencies, in particular, discussed the contributions of national agricultural research institutes in Cox’s Bazar towards developing and releasing modern crop varieties that address issues afflicting farmers and consumers. A BARI representative shared that all four Bt brinjal varieties have undergone field-level trials. Bt Brinjal 2 and 4 have shown higher yields and the farmers preferred BARI Bt Brinjal 4. The representative identified two challenges with Bt brinjal cultivation in Cox’s Bazar: (1) yield decreases during the summer season, and (2) although the crop is resistant to fruit and shoot borer (FSB), there are still other pests that need to be repelled. On a related note, the BARI representative mentioned that although genetically engineered tomatoes would be beneficial in Cox’s Bazar, he has yet to receive any biofortified or genetically engineered tomato crop that is disease-resistant. Another BARI representative discussed the commercialization and production of Bt brinjal. He stated that BARI Bt Brinjal 1, 2, and 3 are doing well in specific locations. BARI Bt Brinjal 4 has grown in popularity as it is doing well in all areas. Although Bt brinjal is a winter crop, BARI Bt Brinjal 4 appears somewhat tolerant to summer cultivation. BARI Bt Brinjal 10 and 11 are bacteria-resistant varieties, which will be released soon. He asserted that Cox’s Bazar’s weather and cropping patterns are the main barriers limiting Bt brinjal, but BADC and BARI are providing adequate seeds. The BARI representative also identified several barriers in the agriculture sector. For example, farmers cultivate late maturation T. Aman rice varieties. If the late maturation varieties are replaced by short-duration varieties, farmers could save 15-30 days. Moreover, this saved time could be used to cultivate another crop while the fields are open for cultivation. Additionally, as a coastal area, Cox’s Bazar has short winters and the region has high humidity. This makes crops more vulnerable to diseases. These conditions must be considered before introducing a genetically engineered crop to fit the cropping pattern in the area. A representative from the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) in Cox's Bazar discussed the technologies used in fish farming and the issues that require further research. In Cox’s Bazar, most fish farmers cultivate tilapia, which is currently being reared by two hatcheries. His department is researching seaweed and crab species. The crab population is decreasing; therefore, they are trying to mass produce crabs and establish crab hatcheries in Cox’s Bazar. Regarding prawns, BFRI distributed prawn larva to farmers and implemented four international guidelines on prawn cultivation, which includes (1) the water must be from AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 11 reservoirs to limit fish viruses, (2) the cultivation should follow a nursery system, (3) water depth should be increased, and (4) disease-free tadpoles should be used. Cox’s Bazar is producing approximately 10,000 MT of dry fish. Many farmers are inadvertently using hazardous substances on these fish, which may lead to health issues. To counter this, BFRI is trying to raise awareness against the usage of bio-hazard substances like antibiotics. “An awareness program was conducted, which decreased the usage of bio-hazards slightly. However, strict government monitoring is necessary,” he stressed. BFRI is also promoting a method, which involves 20-22-day intervals between fishing trips, which has reduced overfishing. Seaweed production is also a growing area of interest in Cox’s Bazar, mostly fueled by international demand. The seed is sourced within Bangladesh, specifically from Satkhira and Saint Martin’s Island. Since 2017, BFRI has been continuously conducting seminars and demonstrations on seaweed cultivation methods. Currently, there are 50 seaweed cultivation nurseries in Cox’s Bazar. The BFRI representative stated, “Seaweed is very healthy, and fishermen are using it as feed for newborn fish larva.” The BFRI representative identified three main barriers related to seaweed: (1) seed availability, (2) popularization, and (3) proper market identification domestically and internationally. BFRI is also prioritizing mrigal, seabass, and carp cultivation, particularly given their market potential. However, the challenge is identifying locations where climate change and natural disasters cannot affect the hatcheries. BFRI is involved in assessing the quality of live feed and biofortified fish eggs before distribution. Any private companies that sell substandard live feed have their products banned. Some farmers are injecting gel in prawns to make them appear larger. BFRI, NGOs, and other organizations have been raising awareness on the risks of injecting gels into prawns. Although the practice has decreased, it has not been eliminated. A Scientific Officer from the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) discussed livestock research and related issues. BLRI is responsible for conducting livestock research, whereas the Department of Livestock Service (DLS) applies the research findings at the field-level. Thus far, BLRI has introduced 17 new varieties of cattle, as well as two chicken varieties—namely, hilly chicken and Naked Neck chicken—which can be reared under a scavenging and semi-intensive scavenging system. Specifically, the hilly chicken is more resistant to diseases, can mature within 6-8 weeks, weighs about 2-3 kg, and produces 140-150 eggs a year. The market price of hilly chicken is approximately the same as regular chicken. BLRI and DLS are promoting hilly chickens, although no specific initiatives were mentioned during the stakeholder consultation. BLRI is promoting Red Chittagong Cattle (RCC), which has lower milk producing capacity than exotic breeds (4-5 liters/cow versus 10-12 liters/cow), but also lower production costs. BLRI is promoting this local breed because it has higher milk producing capacity compared with local breeds, and its broader adaptability to more challenging contexts, including hilly, saline-affected areas. This breed is also more resistant to diseases and requires less management. The institute has also introduced Black Bengal and Brown Bengal goats, Tangail breed, and Borendo breed cattle, all of which are performing well and have been well-received by farmers. BLRI supplies eggs, semen, and young animals nationwide, but the supply does not meet the demand. He added that the farmers prefer cross-breeds. However, if not well-managed, the second generation of cross-breeds may show a decrease in production and are vulnerable to various diseases. He also mentioned that consumers do not prefer sheep meat. Regarding AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 12 processed farm products, the representative said, “Processed foods from milk, eggs, and meat need more improvement and if the processor companies can be linked with the producing farmers, then a good industry can be built.” A DAE Deputy Director stated that farmers are frequently cultivating vegetables alongside their rice crops in Cox’s Bazar. He also described the expansive cultivation of genetically engineered varieties, providing the examples of Bt brinjal, which is being grown on 1,350 hectares of land; and hybrid tomato varieties, which are being cultivated on 1,300 hectares. He recently received 7.5 kg of Bt brinjal seeds, which was distributed to farmers. Also, in Teknaf and Ukhia upazilas, farmers are cultivating watermelons, which have been profitable thus far. He noticed that research institutes are prioritizing seaweed in Cox’s Bazar, which is sidelining attention from other crops. Another participant stated that the marketing of hybrid crops is doing well, perhaps in part by the influx of Rohingya population and tourists in Cox’s Bazar. He added that they even have to import products from other districts to meet the market demand. While this is encouraging, this participant reiterated that climate change and untimely rain in the summer hampers cultivation. Ramu, Ukhia, and Teknaf upazilas frequently suffer from both drought and irrigation issues in the winter. Furthermore, new and advanced hybrid seeds are not easily available as they only distribute seeds sourced from BARI, DAE, or BADC. An Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO) from Ramu upazila said that huge quantities of vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, and green pepper are being cultivated, which are all hybrid crops. Farmers prefer the local potato variety over the hybrid variety, even if it gives less yield. Most vegetables are cultivated at river banks, which may increase the risk of bacterial attacks. One of the moderators mentioned that private seed companies are not allowed to develop genetically engineered varieties or multiply seeds of genetically engineered varieties: only BADC and national agricultural research institutes can do this. The DAE Additional Deputy Director of Cox's Bazar asserted that DAE cultivates BRRI Dhan 74, 52, 84, 71, and similar varieties that have high zinc and high yield. It can be more challenging to market these rice crops as consumers prefer thicker rice grains. A Department of Livestock Officer (DLO) asserted that due to geographical diversity, livestock potential varies by geographic area. He mentioned that the influx of 11 lac Rohingya (~1.1 million) is putting a strain on livestock products of Cox’s Bazar, but they are still able to provide eggs for the whole population. To address this issue, the government plans to give farmers logistical support through a government subsidized program. Also, they are trying to artificially increase the production of cattle like Friesian cows; the research is ongoing. The District Food Safety Inspector asserted that farmers are using pesticides on agro-products and antibiotics on poultry. These agro-products are often entering the market without any supervision. The inspector advocated for stronger monitoring and testing of agro-products to ensure they are safe for consumption before they reach the market. Hazardous substances are frequently identified during inspections of dried fish at the processors’ and farmers’ levels, as well as fish are washed in the same water repeatedly, which is not hygienic. Although there are machines available and the government has provided a special water mixture to wash and dry the fish, these methods increase production costs for AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 13 farmers. More research to identify a suitable method and special training is needed to rectify this problem as the fish have a good market demand. For poultry products like milk, many processors do not have any training on how to correctly preserve the product. There are many inspection points to control milk quality and agents marketing sub-optimal milk are being fined, but market training should still be mandatory to improve food safety. The Deputy Research Director, Agricultural Policy Support Unit (APSU) reiterated that further research is needed on developing new hybrid varieties for rice and vegetables to attain the SDG target for 2030. He added that researchers must carefully consider characteristics of newly- developed varieties in crop and non-crop agriculture to ensure consumer acceptance. Also, farmers should be properly trained on integrating crop and non-crop agriculture, especially as many farmers engage in diverse farming activities across crop, livestock, and fisheries in Cox’s Bazar. Another Deputy Research Director from APSU asserted that farmers tend to accept hybrid species if the productivity is high. She suggested that the farmers need to learn about the health benefits and nutritional values of the hybrid species. Also, the market needs to be developed to motivate farmers to cultivate more. 3.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors A farmer from Ramu started Bt brinjal cultivation after a government demonstration and the yield was estimated to be good. He did not use any pesticides on his Bt brinjal because his crops were not infested by pests. However, before he could harvest, a plant disease killed all his crops. One of the moderators said that a bacterial wilt likely damaged his Bt brinjal crops and the fungus will attack again if he continues to cultivate without any intervention. This fungus thrives in the hot and humid weather of Cox’s Bazar. He suggested treating the land to help uproot the fungus, keep a year gap between brinjal cultivation, and strictly follow the Bt brinjal cultivation pattern, if possible. A Bt brinjal farmer reported that his Bt brinjal had good yield and received a good market price from last year’s harvest. Local brinjal varieties typically sell at BDT 20-25 (~$0.25), whereas his Bt brinjal sold at BDT 30-35 (~$0.40). Although not discussed during the consultation, Shelton et al. (2020) indicates that the price of brinjal varies by the market in Bangladesh.1 The study found that Bt brinjal, on average, sells at a higher rate across all markets (Bt brinjal: BDT 15.78/kg vs. local brinjal: BDT 15.51/kg). Bt brinjal may get a higher price compared with local varieties because it tends to be less affected by pest infestation and uses minimal (or no) pesticides, which can be appealing to consumers and some market actors who trade brinjal. Less infestation also means that the Bt brinjal may look better, which is aesthetically appealing to consumers. The participating Bt brinjal farmer in the workshop confirmed that he would grow other varieties similar to Bt brinjal, and has provided Bt brinjal seeds to other farmers who were interested in cultivating the variety. 1 Shelton, A. M., Sarwer, S. H., Hossain, M. J., Brookes, G., & Paranjape, V. (2020). Impact of Bt brinjal cultivation in the market value chain in five districts of Bangladesh. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 8, 498. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 14 A fish farmer said that he cultivates tilapia and pangash fish. He rears a hybrid tilapia fish species and the market price for the fish is good. He collects the fish eggs from a local hatchery named ‘Alahwara,’ which provides good quality fish eggs. He also cultivates Bt brinjal and collects its seeds from BARI for free. However, even if BARI does not provide him the seeds, he is willing to buy the seeds if they are available in the market. A fish farmer attested that he cultures tilapia, pangash, and carp fish. The tilapia fish fingerlings are available in the local hatcheries, but he has to source the carp fish fingerlings from Cumilla, which makes him question the product’s quality. He purchases his fish feed from a hatchery called ‘Niribili Tilapia Hatchery’ and a private company called ‘Krishibid;’ the price of the fish feed is high. Another farmer rears cows and has four Sahiwal cows, which is a Pakistani breed. He said that he rears this breed of cow because it produces 10 liters of milk daily. He either prepares his cow feed or buys the feed from the market. He sources the semen from the government offices and has an available vet. In addition to cattle rearing, he cultivates Boro rice. He confirmed that he would cultivate new, advanced varieties of rice and or rear cattle if they are available to him and he is informed about them. 3.3 Perspectives from NGOs, Private Sector, and Other Participants Although ACDI/VOCA’s RDC project is not active in Cox’s Bazar, an ACDI/VOCA representative discussed market opportunities for local processors as a result of the Rohingya population. He added that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is already working to ensure nutritious food like zinc-fortified rice for the Rohingya population. “There is only one processor machine stationed in Chakaria; thus, there is an opportunity for SMEs in Cox’s Bazar to meet the rising demand from tourists and the Rohingya population.” He suggested that production should be in sync with the population's demand and preference. He said that the government is trying to promote and utilize marine products. Currently, the lack of high-quality food processing limits products to certain times of the year. Dried fish, for instance, could be sold in the domestic market year-round or international market if high quality processing was available. The ACDI/VOCA representative suggested (1) linking fish farmers with processors, and (2) establishing dried fish as an organic and safe product without using any sort of harmful chemical substance. Furthermore, he added that if seaweed can be commercialized, then the bio- regulator substance sourced from seaweed can be produced domestically, which Bangladesh is currently importing from abroad. In Japan, seaweed is processed into high-priced food items; therefore, Japan could be an export market for Bangladesh’s emerging seaweed. A representative from Green Agro Limited is cultivating cocoa, mushroom, and coffee. She consulted through the internet for searching machinery to process her coffee, mushrooms, and cocoa. She said that she would benefit from the government’s support in validating which machinery to use, and the quality of the machinery and her products. She is also involved with dairy farming, but is not seeing a proper market for her dairy products. She also cultivates seaweed and currently has more than 200 MT of seaweed stocked. She pointed out three problems in commercializing seaweed: (1) lack of proper packaging, (2) inadequate market linkages, and (3) transportation-related issues. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 15 A non-Bangladeshi participant asserted that although nutrition is an important factor for biofortified crops, farmers’ production decisions tend to be more driven by high yields. 3.4 Concluding Findings ● Increased seaweed seed availability is needed to meet farmers’ demand to produce seaweed. ● Fish hatcheries need to be protected from the effects of climate change and natural disasters. ● Dried fish are mostly processed by small processors. Many agricultural value chain actors cannot utilize the improved technologies to process dried fish because it increases their production costs substantially. ● Further research is needed on how to ensure fish quality and manage the market price. ● BLRI is promoting new breeds of sheep, cows, goats, and chicken. However, many farmers are still rearing traditional cross-breeds. In particular, sheep have no market demand as the consumers do not prefer it. A linkage between processors and farmers would be beneficial. ● Crop varieties that are suitable to the climate need to be developed and promoted. In particular, summer-suited varieties and a short-duration Aman rice variety should be promoted, as they can be accommodated in the existing cropping pattern in Cox’s Bazar. ● Farmers have had good experiences cultivating BARI Bt Brinjal 3 and 4; however, its production remains limited as the crop is winter-based and winter is short in Cox’s Bazar. ● Further research on developing bacteria-resistant varieties is needed, particularly for tomatoes. ● BLRI is promoting RCC cattle, hilly chicken, and other varieties, which are in high demand, but there are shortages of these breeds. ● Zinc rice and other biofortified crops are increasingly entering the market, particularly since many NGOs and FAO are providing biofortified crops to the Rohingya population, but many consumers prefer fine rice. ● Farmers are eager to cultivate new hybrid species/varieties if the products are available to them. ● More marine crop seaweed seed production facilities need to be established, and strategies to overcome barriers to commercializing seaweed should be identified (e.g., lack of packaging, market linkages, and transportation). ● Information should be provided to entrepreneurs on where to source high-quality machineries to help commercialize their products. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 16 4 DHAKA DISTRICT On December 8, 2020, USAID organized and IFPRI facilitated a stakeholder consultation to glean insights from representatives on the status, opportunities and challenges, and recommendations related to the commercialization of agricultural research and biotechnology in Dhaka. 4.1 Perspectives from Government A Member Director (Crops) from BARC stated that agricultural technologies in Bangladesh have increased yields of different crops and raised agricultural productivity. Various stress-tolerant varieties have been developed, which have benefited farmers. For example, BARI recently developed BARI Wheat 33, a wheat blast-tolerant variety. He also mentioned that different regions of Bangladesh pose unique challenges. “Depending on the regions, we need to think about which types of resistances are required for the crops.” On a broader level, the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture emphasized the importance of biotechnology research as a vehicle to enhance agricultural productivity. He also mentioned the lack of dedicated scientists in the field of agricultural research. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of high-value, high-yielding, and short-duration crops for enhancing productivity. In southern Bangladesh, most of the land is under a single cropping pattern. Apart from rice, one or two crop varieties, such as mungbeans and sunflowers, are cultivated. BARI is conducting pattern trials to assess what to cultivate and how in specific geographic areas. To intensify crop cultivation, mechanization in all stages of production is necessary. On a broader level, coordination between research, extension, private sector, and NGOs is needed. Biotechnology research is an important step towards making agriculture more resilient to emerging issues, such as diseases and pest infestation. One of the moderators also mentioned that BARI has already released varieties of Bt brinjal, and IFPRI’s evaluation of Bt brinjal was largely positive. The Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) stated that Bangladesh has already achieved self-sufficiency in fish production; however, sustainable fish production is a major challenge. There has been a loss in biodiversity, and there are serious risks of eliminating indigenous species unless actions are taken to preserve and replenish these varieties. To this end, one concrete suggestion that was given is to focus on preserving the sperm of indigenous species to ensure their continuation. Also, farmers require access to low-cost feed to improve production, profits, and reduce dependency on imported feed. Given this, diversifying feed that can be locally sourced for farmers should be a priority. Furthermore, genetically improved breeds and local production of probiotics can help overcome challenges in the fisheries sector. A participant discussed the status of fisheries research and productivity. The Department of Fisheries is expanding fish production, particularly through the cultivation of tilapia, pangash, pabda, silver carp, and grass carp. Expanding production of these nutritious fish can also contribute to healthier diets for the poor. National researchers are applying bio-preservation methods to maintain the fish supply in the country. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 17 According to the Additional Director of the Bangladesh Cotton Development Board, the Board has been working with the private sector since 2008 to produce high-quality seeds, including Supreme, Lal Teer, and ACI. They are working on sustainable cotton production for international clothing companies Primark and H&M; however, the key challenge is meeting the requirements in transitioning from a chemical to a non-chemical procedure. Since cotton is saline-tolerant, the Bangladesh Cotton Development Board has set up two frontier research stations in a dry area and in the coastal region. Another challenge hampering cotton cultivation is inadequate labor, which delays or lowers production. Bangladesh has largely mechanized land preparation and irrigation; however, sowing, planting, harvesting, and drying operations are largely done manually. The General Manager of Alim Industries mentioned that a lack of affordable, appropriate, locally-made agricultural machineries is a key challenge. Local agro-machinery companies engaged in assembling are finding it difficult to compete with imported machineries due to the higher duty on machine parts and lower duty on imported machineries. The market size is small and does not justify private investment in research and development. To this end, the government should facilitate a strong collaboration between research agencies and the private sector, and support opening up export opportunities (e.g., removing tariff barriers). Increased mechanization is important to reduce production costs, turnaround time, and minimize the labor crisis. He also mentioned how mechanizing agriculture, particularly during planting and sowing of crops, can increase profitability. “For harvesting, we are not using enough machinery and we are mostly relying on sun drying. These are some areas where we can focus mechanization on. Also, private companies want these sectors to be subsidized by the government. Thus, support from the government is necessary,” he added. An official from the Department of Livestock discussed the department’s limitations in providing necessary inputs for livestock farmers. For instance, producers face challenges identifying the appropriate vaccines for their animals. A representative from BARI stated that the development of new genetically engineered varieties must consider crop zoning, customer demand, and climate change. He mentioned that more programs should be initiated to create more awareness on genetically engineered crops among consumers. The biosafety guidelines do not differentiate between local or foreign technologies. The BARI representative stated that biotechnology research can be very expensive; therefore, careful decision making is required to assess which crops to prioritize and whether the issue can be solved by conventional technology. To this point, the BARI representative clarified that biotechnology does not always mean genetically engineered. Under the influence of the media, most stakeholders discuss clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) processes and gene-editing, but this does not apply to all areas of biotechnology. “We must focus on the non-genetically engineered part of biotechnology and complying with biosafety regulations. For instance, tissue culture is a very big area, and we can easily grow banana and strawberry through tissue culture. This does not require any prohibitive regulation. The other option is a marker-assisted breeding system. High quality breeding can be achieved via molecule marker and gene-identification. The trade-related marker must be identified. Lastly, we must start working on these things in all research institutes and in the private sector because marker-assisted selection can be implemented in animal-rearing industries and fisheries. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 18 Although agricultural research continues to advance and the national facilities are gradually improving, skilled labor is still a problem.” A BARC representative stated that the biosafety guidelines do not differentiate between local or foreign technologies, apply to everyone, and involve various stakeholders throughout the process. In addition, he stressed the importance of adequate pricing schemes for producers. The Additional Secretary from the Ministry of Agriculture reinforced the importance of Bangladesh continuing to follow the international biosafety guidelines. The approval process is overseen by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF). Currently, the biosafety guidelines are inconsistent among South Asian countries, but an Expert Working Group (EWG) is working on harmonizing the biosafety guidelines in the region. 4.2 Perspectives from NGOs, Private Sector, and Academia A Professor from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) stated that he recently set up a department on biotechnology and genetic engineering, where frontier research technologies are being used to develop wheat varieties. They have also developed a PCRD strip, which works like a pregnancy strip for wheat blast identification. A representative from the national NGO Shikha Shastha Unnayan Karzakram (SHISUK) stated that there is a lack of awareness on biotechnology in Bangladesh. Given this, it is important that consumers are able to distinguish between biotech and non-biotech crops through proper labeling in the market. A representative from Lal Teer Seed Limited stated that they are producing new crop breeds from their own research, as well as taking different materials from national agricultural research institutions. They have also designed and implemented different policies that enhance the marketability of products. In addition to helping breeders, Lal Teer is working on developing new crops using biotechnological approaches. 4.3 Concluding Findings / Opportunities ● Monitor biosafety guidelines and ensure these guidelines are being followed properly. ● Open up markets for agro-machineries to increase agricultural production. ● Biotechnology research is very innovative, albeit an expensive method of research. Carefully optimize resource allocations across conventional and biotechnological approaches to ensure that research is both technically effective and cost-effective. ● Properly label biotech products in Bangladesh so that consumers can differentiate products that are not genetically engineered. ● Increase the supply of medicines and vaccines for animals, which are in short supply in Dhaka and nationally. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 19 5 JASHORE DISTRICT On December 9, 2020, USAID organized and IFPRI facilitated a stakeholder consultation to glean insights from representatives on the status, opportunities and challenges, and recommendations related to the commercialization of agricultural research and biotechnology in Jashore. 5.1 Perspectives from Government A Principal Scientific Officer from BARI has been working on biosafety for genetically engineered crops, especially three varieties of genetically engineered potatoes. He opined that to release a genetically engineered crop, an application must be sent to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) via three organizations: (1) the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), (2) the Core Committee of the National Technical Committee on Crop Biotechnology (NTCCB-Core), and (3) the National Technical Committee on Crop Biotechnology (NTCCB). Next, the application goes to the Department of Environment (DoE), where clearance is required by the Biosafety Core Committee (BCC) and National Committee on Biosafety (NCB). Due to procedural delays (e.g., meetings do not take place as scheduled), it often takes around two years for the DoE to approve a species. A genetically engineered crop cannot be released without approval. He suggested that having researchers on the committees may expedite the approval process. Also, except for Bt brinjal, no other genetically engineered crop is being produced on a large scale. Genetically engineered hyacinth beans have received clearance from the DoE, but are still not being widely produced and commercialized. A Senior Scientific Officer from the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) provided an overview of fisheries in Jashore and identified key priorities. Jashore contributes about half of the total fish fingerling production in Bangladesh. BFRI research has contributed to the development of ‘super tilapia,’ which is 40 percent larger than the conventional variety, and rui fish, which is 20 percent larger than the traditional variety. BFRI is now trying to increase the growth of cultured species like carp and tilapia. Bangladesh is producing 200 crore tilapia fish eggs every year. Moreover, a USAID-funded activity implemented by WorldFish is working on increasing the local rui fish size by introducing an Indian Rui fish gene. Thus far, the research has contributed to increasing the growth of fish production by 30 percent, and plans to reach 45 percent by 2022. “The Indian Rui weighs around 2-3 kg, whereas the local Rui is currently around 800-1,200 grams,” the participant said. Regarding the status of disseminating these varieties to farmers, a technical moderator added that BFRI is providing ‘Super Tilapia’ fingerlings to hatcheries, covering about 40% of hatcheries in Mymensingh. The hatcheries produce more generations via monosex tilapia. Then, they sell fingerlings of monosex tilapia to the fish farmers (which is also available in the market). The BFRI Senior Scientific Officer identified a few challenges in the fisheries sector in Jashore. One example is fish stocking. Another issue is the price hike of imported pituitary gland from fish in India, which has increased dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. He suggested that companies like United Agro Fisheries, which already processes fish, can be trained to extract and preserve the fish pituitary gland, which is used for fish egg production. Moreover, district-level preservation mills for pituitary gland can be established, which could ensure safe inbreeding of fish. If fish retailers, marketers, or sellers could also be trained to source the gland, it can become a good export product in the future. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 20 A BARI Scientific Officer identified crops that are widely cultivated in Jashore that suffer from numerous issues. For example, lentils are susceptible to foot and root rotting diseases, brinjal is vulnerable to bacterial wilt, and chickpeas suffer from pod borer attacks. Genetic engineering could be used to research and develop disease-resistant varieties of these and other susceptible crops. BARI has already developed two disease-resistant varieties of wheat, which counter the wheat blast disease, and two disease-resistant varieties of potatoes (BARI Potato 46 and 53). Blast-resistant wheat varieties, which are not genetically engineered, are already in the field being used by farmers. BARI’s development of genetically engineered potato varieties is currently underway. The Principal Scientific Officer of the Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS) stated that farmers like cultivating BARI Bt Brinjal 4, but many do not consume it themselves because of concern over food safety. DAE field officials are distributing Bt brinjal seeds to the farmers; however, BADC and BARI are unable to provide an adequate supply of Bt brinjal seeds to all farmers who are interested in cultivating the variety. Furthermore, many farmers have requested Bt brinjal varieties that are similar to their local brinjal varieties, which farmers believe could fetch better market prices and have wider consumer acceptance because of its similarities within the conventional variety. The Principal Scientific Officer also suggested that farmers sell Bt brinjal separate from other varieties, showcasing pesticide-free produce. Through this, the market value of Bt brinjal can increase. The Jashore Deputy Director of DAE provided an overview of Jashore’s agroecology and cultivation conditions. Most of the land in Jashore is highland or mid-highland with loam soil, which makes Jashore suitable for all kinds of cultivation. Jashore’s cropping patterns primarily consist of Boro and Aman rice cultivation. This cropping pattern leaves land vacant between the two harvests. Besides rice cultivation, many farmers prefer fish farming on flood waters. Less than 3 percent of land is used to cultivate pulses, and this is declining as farmers are increasingly cultivating fruits like lemon, mango, and dragon fruit, which are more profitable. Submergence is a major issue in Jashore, with approximately 2,880 hectares of land flooded in Manirampur, Abhaynagar, and Keshabpur upazilas. Excess rain has overflowed the dams, destroying both fish and Boro paddy cultivation areas, as the water remains stagnant in the fields for an extended period of time. Regarding Bt brinjal, he stated that BARI Bt Brinjal 4 is doing well, but the other Bt brinjal varieties have a bitter taste, harder skin, and are smaller in size, which lowers consumer demand. Although Bt brinjal requires minimal to no pesticide use, the Deputy Director indicated that DAE field-level officials are advising farmers to use the appropriate amount of pesticides for other vegetables (as opposed to overusing pesticides). Further attention should be given to ensure farmers have knowledge of and access to effective organic methods for cultivation, which can reduce the use of pesticides and hazardous substances. Insufficient market linkages for selling vegetables remains a key challenge; if farmers get proper market linkages, they will be more eager and able to maintain the product quality. The Deputy Director, Department of Livestock Office (DLO), Department of Livestock Services (DLS) identified several challenges in the livestock sector. Many dairy farmers state that the market price for milk is inadequate given the high dairy production costs. Also, there are often supply shortages of animal feed, which can affect the production costs for farmers and, in turn, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 21 the market prices for consumers. Actions are needed to ensure a stable supply of animal feed. Furthermore, there are no large milk processors in Jashore except for Afil. The Jashore Deputy Director of the DAE also discussed challenges and opportunities related to flower cultivation. Improved flower seeds are still being imported; thus, research is needed on developing improved flower seeds locally. He also indicated that proper shading must be built for the sensitive flower varieties. Furthermore, he added that there is currently a USAID-funded flower cold storage in Jhikargacha, which provides storage, packaging, and selling benefits to farmers. Nevertheless, transportation is still a problem in the region. Currently, biofortified species for marigolds and roses are available domestically, yet more research on other varieties is required. The cropping patterns in Jashore also need further research, he recommended. A representative from the Bangladesh Flower Society added that adequate equipment for flower cultivation is not present in the USAID’s flower storage and processing center. COVID-19 has had adverse consequences on the flower sector as a result of plummeting consumer demand. He requested the government to consider relaxing the event ban so that flower demand increases and the sector can rebound. A UAO in Jhikargacha upazila stated that 650 hectares of Jashore are dedicated to flower cultivation. Despite the continued expansion of flower cultivation in Bangladesh, the country is still heavily reliant on imported seeds. There may be an opportunity to use biotechnology to reduce Bangladesh’s dependency on imported flower seeds, while also improving the color, shelf-life adaptability, and productivity of flowers. For flowers, post-harvest management is critical in maintaining the quality of the products, with the flower market in Jhikargacha valued at approximately BDT 200 crore. Lastly, on the topic of BARI Bt Brinjal 4, he added that the roots of BARI Bt Brinjal 4 become thin by harvest. The Deputy Research Director of the Agricultural Policy Support Unit (APSU) stated that there is a gap between the processor price and consumer price. Attention must be given to ensure that farmers are getting an adequate price, too. Also, 25 percent of produced crops are being wasted every year, which should be prevented through more research and use of technology at an area-based level. A UAO in Magura district asserted that the government has released many specialized varieties like zinc rice, but the market is still dominated by traditional varieties like BRRI Dhan 28. If the specialized crops could be turned into a brand, then they could be more successfully commercialized. A DLS official asserted that proper marketing and storage are needed to prevent farmers’ milk losses. Companies like Aarong and Milk Vita have chilled storage capacity for milk, but it is insufficient to cover the total milk production. As such, she stressed the importance of increasing chilled storage and ensuring market linkages for dairy farmers. Farmers learn about improved varieties of farm animals from the office or through workshops and events. The official is aware of the new Multi-Colored Chicken (MCC), but it needs to go through field trials before she can judge its productivity. She stated that farmers are often unaware of the insemination regulations, and often want 100 percent insemination even though the maximum level that government technicians recommend is 88 percent. This lack of awareness can cause various problems for cattle. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 22 5.2 Perspectives from Agricultural Value Chain Actors A participating seed dealer shared that biofortified seeds are not available in adequate amounts and thus, he could not meet the demands of the farmers as hybrid seeds for rice and vegetables are low in supply. He also said that he sources the seeds from BADC and private companies like Lal Teer. He added that vegetable seeds for onions, cabbage, cauliflower, and similar crops alongside Boro Dhan-63 are not widely available in the market. An input dealer stated that he started producing zinc-enriched rice seeds via Harvest Plus, which is no longer active and now he is struggling to sell his seeds via seed dealers to the farmers as BADC also provides these seeds. He suggested that farmers and input dealers need proper training to handle zinc rice seeds. During the workshop, a seed provider stated that he supplies zinc rice (BRRI Dhan 28, 50, 63, 74, and 84). He sources these seeds from private companies, particularly from the USAID- funded Wave Foundation. He testified that zinc rice cultivation is increasing every year. One participating seed trader produces 35-40 MT of seeds annually, of which 12 MT are zinc rice this year. He sources the seeds from BRRI and produces the crop via contract farming with 12 farmers. Although zinc rice is gradually becoming more popular, the first-time sale to consumers raises some challenges and continued promotion of the variety would be beneficial for increased market acceptance. He argued that he cannot compete with the BADC seed prices since he also has to cover his own operational costs, and more training for seed dealers on how to handle and sell seeds is required. One trader confirmed that he does not buy zinc rice, and has not heard of it in Churamonkathi region, and there is no market demand for it. During the workshop, a fish farmer chimed in about his experiences cultivating G3 Rui fish. He had collected the G3 Rui hybrid fish eggs from a USAID-funded project implemented by WorldFish. Compared with the local Rui, the G3 Rui is more productive, larger, consumes less feed, and looks more appealing to the consumers. Other farmers reported positive experiences cultivating G3 Rui, too. When asked about the selling price of the G3 Rui, he stated that he is currently selling the fish larvae as the fish have yet to mature. He added that each larva is priced BDT 3 and these larvae can develop into a fish weighing around 3-4 kg. “Due to the recent floods, we are facing financial strains as there are troubles in selling the products in the market. If a low-interest loan was available to us, then we could manage fish farming better.” One of the participants has been a fish farmer for the last two years. He cultivates local rui, kattla, and tilapia fish varieties. The main issue he mentioned is expensive fish feed, although it is available in the market. He currently has two ponds and could increase the number of ponds he has to multiply his production if he wants. If he gets G3 Rui fish eggs, he would be eager to cultivate them. A farmer from Manirampur shared his experience cultivating zinc rice. He initially received the zinc rice seeds first from Harvest Plus in 2013. He started producing BRRI Dhan 62, then switched to BRRI Dhan 63, 72, 74, and now 84. According to this farmer, BRRI Dhan 84 is good and the market price is reasonable, but if they could stock the crops, they might get a better price. He said that BRRI Dhan 62 and 84 are popular now. Additionally, with all the promotions AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 23 about zinc rice, the market price of it is also better. He further added that he sells the rice crops to millers at a good price and the rice beads of the crops are fine like BRRI Dhan 28. The farmer also confirmed that the rice does not go soft after cooking and he consumes the rice himself. A farmer from Jashore Sadar shared that he cultivates zinc rice crops. He has been cultivating zinc rice since 2013, starting with BRRI Dhan 62, and then BRRI Dhan 72 and74—sourced from Harvest Plus. Although the zinc rice seeds are still not easily available, the yield is higher and the market price is slightly better than the local varieties like BRRI Dhan 52. He is still cultivating zinc rice by sourcing the seeds from BADC. A rice farmer attested that bio-fortified rice crops demonstration just made it to his area. A farmer he knows has planted zinc rice BRRI Dhan 66 but he is still not clear about the zinc rice and would cultivate it if the results of the farmer’s yield are good. He added that golden rice is yet to make it to his area. Another farmer from the workshop cultivates BRRI Dhan 28, 50, and 63. He does not cultivate the new hybrid rice crops and stopped growing BRRI Dhan 28 because some of the crops rot away in harvest time. Another farmer has been exclusively cultivating BARI Bt Brinjal 4 for the last four years. According to this farmer, BARI Bt Brinjal 4 can be harvested until May and sells well in June, when the local brinjal varieties are not available in the market. He reiterated that BARI Bt Brinjal 4 requires no pesticide spraying as there is no infestation compared with traditional brinjal varieties. The only problem is that the skin of BARI Bt Brinjal 4 is a little tough, which makes it more difficult to sell. One Bt brinjal farmer spoke about his positive experiences cultivating Bt brinjal: it is profitable, does not require any pesticide use, and thereby reduces his production costs. He collects the seeds from BADC and cultivates the crop according to the advice of the agricultural officials. He has noticed that there are too many seeds inside of BARI Bt Brinjal 4 fruit, which is one drawback of the variety. 5.3 Perspectives from NGOs, Academia, and Private Sector A representative from the USAID-funded RDC project from ACDI/VOCA had various recommendations for high potential varieties which could be developed. For instance, he stated that single-skinned black sesame has international demand, which could be a research opportunity. In addition, he suggested developing a mungbean variety where all the pods could be harvested on a single-term. Similarly, he suggested developing a virus-resistant lentil crop. Although BINA Lentil 9 is in the market and is virus-resistant, it has thicker beads, whereas consumers prefer thinner beads. Furthermore, there is scope to develop a high oil content and high yielding mustard variety, as well as submergence-tolerant varieties that are also short- duration. He further added that if a better variety of Aus dhan could be discovered, then this could align with the government’s current promotion of Aus rice crops over Boro. Similarly, for livestock, he stated, “It would be better if farmers could produce their necessary animal feed, which would reduce their reliance on DLS for animal feed.” Lastly, if zinc rice could be promoted as a brand, it would help commercialize the variety further. Another representative from the USAID-funded RDC activity implemented by ACDI/VOCA noted that imported artificial flowers have a negative impact on the flower market in Jashore. To this AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 24 end, the participant suggested enacting a flower policy to protect the local flower market. He added that with good cultivation practice, it is possible to expand to the international flower market. A WorldFish Program Officer asserted that WorldFish has recently released G3 Rui via four nurseries to approximately 50 farmers in July 2020. Findings from a recent farmers’ survey shows that the G3 Rui are performing well thus far. A representative from Harvest Plus stated that they have sold 65 MT of zinc rice, consisting of BRRI Dhan 74 and 84. In addition, they are also branding zinc rice, raising awareness from farmers to consumers, building market linkages, as well as training farmers and processors. As a result, the zinc rice is growing in popularity and is rendering a good price to the farmers and processors. Despite zinc rice’s potential, he stated that the seeds are not widely available. The Animal Science and Nutrition Department Head of Jhenaidah Government Veterinary College provided various suggestions based on the discussion. First, she pointed out that agriculture is closely related to livestock rearing as traditionally farmers used to use crop residues as cattle feed. However, due to the usage of cropping machines, a lot of crop residue is rendered useless. The stakeholder asserted that gene modifications are making the residues shorter in the ratio of the crops. Also, many farmers have the tendency to choose Friesian cows for insemination without actually keeping any records of the process. They also are unaware of the inbreeding problems that can occur due to artificial insemination. Improper use of medicines and usage of pesticides on crops also poison the residues, which could be used as feed for the cattle. She suggested that biotechnology could be used to increase the ratio of crop residue. Expert help could be provided for feed formulation via online platforms or specialized companies. Further trainings could be conducted on insemination, and in particular, the importance of following regulations to mitigate inbreeding defects. For poultry, she suggested that the best productive local breeds should be enlisted and researched to maximize their potential. For lakes or flooded areas where fish farming occurs, ducks can be raised, which could provide duck residue as fish feed. It would also increase the oxygen circulation in the water naturally as the ducks will be swimming in the ponds. A Professor from Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) expressed interest in collaborating on flower biotechnology research with research organizations, and agreed that flowers need preservation facilities to enter the international market competitively. A representative from United Agro Fisheries (UAF) mentioned that UAF