IRRI’s new strategy for Bangladesh and South Asia align with government, stakeholders’ priorities

Scientists, policymakers, investor representatives, development professionals, and rice experts from a wide range
of organizations joined the discussion on IRRI's country strategy for Bangladesh and strategy for South Asia.

DHAKA, Bangladesh—The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) held a roundtable discussion on 28 March to ensure its draft country strategy for Bangladesh and regional strategy for South Asia are aligned with the priorities of the government, investors, and other stakeholders.

“South Asia’s socioeconomic status, global funding for agricultural research, and national agricultural research landscapes are changing rapidly,” said Dr. Nafees Meah, IRRI's representative for South Asia. “To prepare and plan for these changes, IRRI is revising its country and regional strategies for South Asia.

“As an international organization with strong track record in rice research, much social capital established in the region, and a big presence in the field, IRRI has a comparative advantage to work with various partner research institutes, the private sector, development agencies, other CGIAR centers, and investors and make a big impact in helping deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals in South Asia,” he added.

During the meeting, Dr. Anasar Ali, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) research director, discussed the rice research priorities for Bangladesh while Dr. Matt Curtis, deputy director of the Feed the Future Program of the United States Agency for International Development Bangladesh, presented  the donors’ perspectives and priorities in agriculture and overall development in Bangladesh. The half-day roundtable discussion was chaired by Mr. Anwar Faruque, former Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of Bangladesh.

More than 40 scientists, policymakers, investor representatives, development professionals, and rice experts from a wide range of organizations, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, BRRI, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Cooperation, Department of Agricultural Extension, BRAC, ACI Limited, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, and other international developmental organizations attended the event.

National stakeholders praised the more than five decades of partnership between IRRI and Bangladesh and IRRI’s significant contributions to improving the country’s food security and rural livelihoods. The participants requested IRRI’s continuing support in the supply of genetic materials, varietal development, crop and natural resource management, mechanization, socioeconomic research, and capacity building in Bangladesh.

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