A dialogue on the 'Nexus of Climate Smart Agriculture and Innovative Biotechnology' was held in Dhaka on Monday.
The Agriculture Ministry and the US Department of Agriculture cohosted the dialogue at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the capital, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Dhaka.
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The dialogue explored the potential of innovative biotechnology to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Throughout the three technical sessions, scientists, academics, regulators, and policymakers shared the newest policies and research related to biotechnology.
The Chargé d'Affaires, at the US Embassy, Nathan Flook, joined Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter at the dialogue and discussed the importance of agricultural biotechnology in supporting farmers in adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change to provide food for Bangladeshis.
They highlighted the importance of precision biotechnology to build climate resilience in the agricultural sector during the inaugural session. Salinity intrusion, drought, and new pests have made it harder for farmers to produce food profitably, the release also said.
Flook underscored the importance of agricultural biotechnology as a safe tool to build resilience in agriculture and enhance global food security. He noted that, "The Biden Administration has made safeguarding and supporting biotechnology innovation a priority." The US regulatory system uses scientific risk-based procedures to enable farmers have access to new tools as quickly as possible, it said.
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The dialogue was an opportunity to discuss how gene-editing can help farmers produce more food with fewer resources and identify what other technologies will help Bangladesh reach its climate change goals, the release also said.
As members of the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate and the Global Methane Pledge, the United States and Bangladesh have a shared mission to support farmers’ livelihoods by being able to adapt to climate change, it added.
Biotechnology has a role to play in mitigating the impacts agricultural production has on the climate while increasing productivity. Flook emphasised that Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.
Using biotechnology, scientists can accelerate the rate at which they can introduce new plant varieties that are able to respond to changing environmental conditions. The US Embassy stands ready to continue to support Bangladesh in adopting these new technologies, the release also said.