Agriculture and Seed Promotion Programme.
Bangladesh is an agriculture-dependent country, with more than half of the population primarily employed in agriculture. Agriculture plays an important role in the overall economic development of Bangladesh where the seed sector alone contributes a good percentage of the country’s GDP.
Substantial increases in yield and quality of crops depend upon a number of factors. The inputs like fertilizers, irrigation and plant protection measures, and suitable agronomic practices contribute significantly towards enhancing the yield and quality of the produce. If good quality seed is not used, the full benefit of such inputs and agronomic practices cannot be realized. The seed cost represents only 2-3% of the total production cost but the quality seed has a significant role in increasing the yield.
Quality seed is defined as pure in variety with a high germination percentage, free from disease and disease organisms, and with proper moisture content and weight.
About 13 lac tons of quality seed are required to meet the entire country’s crop production (source: Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation and the Ministry of Agriculture). This entire demand is met by three categories of seeds like; formal, semi-formal, and informal. Government agencies, private companies, and NGOs are playing a vital role in the seed sector, which is about 23-30% of the entire demand for formal seed.
From the perception, “Seed is the right of the farmers”, CCDB had started quality seed production through the Seed production program in early 2001 when CCDB formed a few farmers’ groups and still running with the support in the production, preservation as well and marketing of seeds.
CCDB receives “Breeder Seed” from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI), and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and produces “Foundation Seed” and further produces “Certified Seed” from the “Foundation Seed” in contract growers’ field and gets certification from the Seed Certification Agencies (SCA). Through this process, CCDB is making available good quality seeds to farmers. Considering the farmers’ profitability, CCDB also acts as a kind of extension agency by introducing high-yielding varieties of various crops feasible to the targeted locations. CCDB Seed Enterprise is marketing quality rice, potato, and mustard seeds with the brand name of “Chashir Hashi“- meaning in English; Farmers’ Smile.
Contact Address:
CCDB Seed Enterprise
Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB)
88 Senpara, Parbata, Mirpur-10, Dhaka 1216
Email: avijit.saha@ccdbbd.org
Cell & WhatsApp: +8801711066097
