বাংলাদেশ কৃষি গবেষণা কাউন্সিল

Workshop on Accelerated Breeding Program in Rice

Photograph of the workshop

Bangladesh is an agrarian country. The foundation of our economy, employment and food security is still agriculture, especially rice cultivation. However, multidimensional challenges such as the impact of climate change, land scarcity, population growth and natural disasters have threatened our rice production system. The use of breeding methods such as Accelerated Breeding is essential to secure the future of rice production in Bangladesh. This method will open new doors in rice genetic and breeding research by combining traditional breeding methods with modern biotechnological tools, which will play a groundbreaking role in ensuring sustainable food and nutrition security of the country and addressing the challenges of food security in changing climate. With this aim, the Crops Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) has taken the initiative to organize a day-long workshop titled ‘Accelerated Breeding Program in Rice’ which was held on 5 May 2025 at BARC. The main objective of this workshop is to create a sustainable and innovative rice breeding framework through a combination of advanced technology, policy-making and practical research. The program was presided over by Dr. Md. Abdus Salam, Member Director (Crops), BARC. The Chief Guest, Dr. Nazmun Nahar Karim, Executive Chairman of BARC, graced the occasion with her presence. Dr. Mohammad Khalequzzaman, Director General, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) attended as special guest. Dr. Md. Rezwan Molla, Principal Scientific Officer (Crops), BARC, delivered the welcome address, extending warm greetings to the distinguished guests. The keynote presentation on ‘Modernization of Plant Breeding Utilizing Frontier Technologies Leading to Accelerated Genetic Gain’ was delivered by Dr. Khondaker Md. Iftekharuddaula CSO and Head, Plant Breeding Division, BRRI, who provided a comprehensive overview of the ongoing initiatives and progress within the accelerated rice breeding program. His detailed Power Point presentation covered several key areas, including the background of the program, strategic approaches, and a summary of major outputs achieved through the modernization of breeding practices. Dr. Iftekharuddaula elaborated on critical topics such as trait development within the breeding program, the transformation of BRRI’s rice breeding strategies, and an at-a-glance review of the overall breeding approach. The presentation concluded with a forward-looking perspective on the future direction of the program. The open discussion session was moderated by the Chair, Dr. Md. Abdus Salam. Scientists from various institutes under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), faculty members from universities, and representatives from, donor agencies, government and non-government agricultural organizations actively participated in a lively and constructive discussion. Six expert members viz., Dr. Md. Shamsher Ali, Former Director General, BINA, Mymensingh, Dr. Md. Aziz Zilani Chowdhury, Former Member Director (Crops), BARC, Dr. Md. Alamgir Hossain, Former CSO, GRSD, BRRI, Gazipur, Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Senior Rice Breeder and Country Breeding Lead, IRRI, Dr. Parimal Kanti Biswas, National Rice Agronomist, FAO, Bangladesh attended the technical sessions for overviewing and providing suggestions for further improvement. The event concluded with a summary of expert opinions and recommendations that can accelerate the use of modern breeding methods like Accelerated Breeding in rice research, which made the workshop successful and fruitful.