A day-long training on coffee and cashew cultivation was held at the Raikhali Pahari Agricultural Research Center in Kaptai Upazila of Rangamati. The training was held on Tuesday morning at the conference room of the research center on coffee and cashew cultivation technology and processing developed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI).
Thirty scientific assistants from agricultural research institutes in Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban districts participated in the training organized by the Raikhali Hill Agricultural Research Center and funded by the Cashew and Coffee Research, Development and Extension Project (BARI ANG).
The chief guest at the training was Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain Mollah, Director (Services and Supply) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI).
In his speech, he emphasized the expansion of coffee and cashew cultivation in hilly areas, the use of modern technology, and the dissemination of research knowledge at the field level. He said that it is possible to increase the production of these potential cash crops and increase the income of farmers by creating skilled manpower.
The event was chaired by Dr. Muhammad Ziaur Rahman, Chief Scientific Officer of Raikhali Hill Agricultural Research Center, and moderated by Scientific Officer Mahmudul Hasan. The event was attended by Dr. Md. Atiqur Rahman, Chief Scientific Officer of Hathazari Regional Agricultural Research Center, Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman, Chief Scientific Officer of Pahartali Agricultural Research Center, Chittagong, and Md. Emdadul Haque, Senior Scientific Officer of Ramgarh Upazila, Khagrachhari. The welcome speech was delivered by Dr. Md. Selim, Senior Scientific Officer of Bandarban Sadar Field Research Center.
After the training, seedlings of various improved varieties of fruit trees developed by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) as part of the national tree plantation program were distributed among local farmers. At the same time, the tree plantation program was inaugurated by the chief guest Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain Mollah and the guests present.
The scientific assistants participating in the training gained practical and theoretical insights into modern coffee and cashew cultivation, care, disease and pest control, post-harvest management and processing. The organizers hope that this training will create new momentum in the expansion of coffee and cashew cultivation in the hilly areas.
