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Indigenous rice varieties are disappearing fast due to massive cultivation of high- yielding ones to meet the country’s growing food demand.
At least 47 local rice species became extinct in the past two decades and a few others are now facing extinction, according to sources in Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
Farmers are cultivating high-yielding varieties on vast tracts of land across the country as their production is almost three times higher than that of the indigenous ones, the sources added.
They also pointed out that population growth, climate change and reduction in arable land are the main reasons behind gradual extinction of indigenous rice varieties.
Currently, only a handful of local rice varieties are being produced in the country’s remote areas, including hilly, haor and coastal regions.
A few of them like Kali Jira, Binni and Chini Gura are cultivated to meet the needs for various social functions.
The BRRI sources revealed that about 20,000 indigenous rice varieties disappeared in the last one century.
“We have preserved 5,000 local and 3,000 foreign varieties in our gene bank,” said Mohammad Khalequzzaman, principal scientific officer of Genetic Research and Seed Division of the BRRI.
The BRRI has also undertaken a project to protect the rice varieties threatened with extinction, he said. “We document and catalogue them under the project for the future generation.”
Now farmers in developing countries like Bangladesh are interested in cultivating genetically-modified varieties for more production,” Khaleq-uzzaman said.
Once Bangalees used to cultivate local rice varieties by employing their own techniques but poverty and shrinking of cultivable land have compelled them to opt for HYV farming.
The local rice varieties, which are nutritionally rich and tasty, were an integral part of Bengali culture but they are losing their ground because of their poor yield.
“Like my ancestors I used to cultivate local rice species like Asshina, Digha, Ranga Digha, Bandar Jata, and Gour Kajol. Now I cultivate HYV rice,” said Milu Mia, a farmer of village Jogania under Kalia upazila in Narail.
The local rice species that became extinct are Aus Baku, Pora Binni, Notel Boro, Rup Raj, Saita, Biroin, Aguinya Binni, Dolar Guro, Bak Tulshi, Balam Sail, Thakur Bhog, Kalijira, Bawoi, Agali, Kasra, Basmati, Hashful, Modhumala, Badsha Bhog, Potka, Pankhiraj, Saita, Chhola Boro, Chamar, Sagar Dhana, Duk Sail, Khejur Jhupi, Parngi, Pathor Nati, Joli Aman, Rodhuni Pagal, Jal Kumari, Gachi Boro, Ganda Binni, Khorma, Chini Sagor, Katak Tard, Raj Bhog, Hati Sail, Ful Kata, Tulshi Mala, Jalkada, Sada Boro, Katjol, Khaskani and Aus Bogi.
Another scientific officer of the BRRI said extinction of certain crops and replacement of traditional ones with high-yielding varieties should be regarded as cultural and biodiversity losses.
Biodiversity, which is closely associated with agriculture, is being badly affected due to gradual extinction of indigenous crop species, he added.
Genetic Research and Seed Division has preserved some 5,000 local and 3,000 foreign rice varieties in the gene bank under Crop Germplasm Conservation.
At least 47 local rice species became extinct in the past two decades and a few others are now facing extinction, according to sources in Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).
Farmers are cultivating high-yielding varieties on vast tracts of land across the country as their production is almost three times higher than that of the indigenous ones, the sources added.
They also pointed out that population growth, climate change and reduction in arable land are the main reasons behind gradual extinction of indigenous rice varieties.
Currently, only a handful of local rice varieties are being produced in the country’s remote areas, including hilly, haor and coastal regions.
A few of them like Kali Jira, Binni and Chini Gura are cultivated to meet the needs for various social functions.
The BRRI sources revealed that about 20,000 indigenous rice varieties disappeared in the last one century.
“We have preserved 5,000 local and 3,000 foreign varieties in our gene bank,” said Mohammad Khalequzzaman, principal scientific officer of Genetic Research and Seed Division of the BRRI.
The BRRI has also undertaken a project to protect the rice varieties threatened with extinction, he said. “We document and catalogue them under the project for the future generation.”
Now farmers in developing countries like Bangladesh are interested in cultivating genetically-modified varieties for more production,” Khaleq-uzzaman said.
Once Bangalees used to cultivate local rice varieties by employing their own techniques but poverty and shrinking of cultivable land have compelled them to opt for HYV farming.
The local rice varieties, which are nutritionally rich and tasty, were an integral part of Bengali culture but they are losing their ground because of their poor yield.
“Like my ancestors I used to cultivate local rice species like Asshina, Digha, Ranga Digha, Bandar Jata, and Gour Kajol. Now I cultivate HYV rice,” said Milu Mia, a farmer of village Jogania under Kalia upazila in Narail.
The local rice species that became extinct are Aus Baku, Pora Binni, Notel Boro, Rup Raj, Saita, Biroin, Aguinya Binni, Dolar Guro, Bak Tulshi, Balam Sail, Thakur Bhog, Kalijira, Bawoi, Agali, Kasra, Basmati, Hashful, Modhumala, Badsha Bhog, Potka, Pankhiraj, Saita, Chhola Boro, Chamar, Sagar Dhana, Duk Sail, Khejur Jhupi, Parngi, Pathor Nati, Joli Aman, Rodhuni Pagal, Jal Kumari, Gachi Boro, Ganda Binni, Khorma, Chini Sagor, Katak Tard, Raj Bhog, Hati Sail, Ful Kata, Tulshi Mala, Jalkada, Sada Boro, Katjol, Khaskani and Aus Bogi.
Another scientific officer of the BRRI said extinction of certain crops and replacement of traditional ones with high-yielding varieties should be regarded as cultural and biodiversity losses.
Biodiversity, which is closely associated with agriculture, is being badly affected due to gradual extinction of indigenous crop species, he added.
Genetic Research and Seed Division has preserved some 5,000 local and 3,000 foreign rice varieties in the gene bank under Crop Germplasm Conservation.
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