November 3, 2008

This is the third in a series of posts describing my trip to Bangladesh and India. Part 2 is posted here.

Today we visit Mostofa, a rice farmer in the village of Rajaharat in northern Bangladesh, a 2 hour drive from Rangpur. Mostofa has volunteered to test the submergence tolerant (Sub1) rice variety for the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI).

He is pleased to show us the rice on his well-cared for farm. This year his young rice plants were hit with 15 days of submergence. Out of the 5 varieties he grew this year, only the new Sub1 lines survived the flood. Ample a grain will soon be ready for harvest.

“What will you do with the grains?” I asked. I was curious if the grain would be consumed or not. He told us that this year he will save all the grain. He plans to use some for sowing in these fields next year and will give the rest to his neighbors, so that they can also benefit.

The director general of BRRI told me that his generosity is unusual other farmers who tested the Sub1 rice are planning to sell the grain to their neighbors, reaping the benefit of taking the risk of planting a new variety. Farmers here have this much in common with their fellow farmers in the wealthy developed world they are entrepeneurs and business people.

In Bangladesh, the national breeding stations distribute the improved varieties to government seed producers who currently can supply only 20% of the seeds needed by farmers. This seed is then inspected for quality and certified by another government agency. The certified seed processed this way is of high quality. Still, there is a need for more seed. This is the reason that several public-private partnerships and private seed companies have sprung up. The hope is that these groups will supply the seed production capacity that the national breeding programs lack. The danger is that some of these groups may not go through the proper seed certification and label the seed “Sub1”, when in fact it is not.

The Bangladeshi Director General of Agriculture, Elahi, predicts that within 3 years, Sub1 rice will be grown on 2 million hectares during the wet season. The farmers will have their choice of variety to plant, such as a popular Bangladeshi line favored for its non-sticky quality called BR11 or the shorter and more slender grain east Indians prefer, called Swarna. Given the positive performance of the Sub1 varieties its seems very likely that this trait will be bred into many more rice varieties that are grown during the monsoon season in Bangladesh.

Before I leave, I give away 2 soccer balls purchased from the savings of my children Audrey and Cliff. I brought them from Davis at the suggestion of my friend Leslie. She has started a program to distribute balls to children in less developed countries. My daughter Audrey did not hesitate to part with her savings- she was pleased to be able to give Bangladeshi children something she takes for granted. My son Cliff decided to donate only after some parental urging, and once he was resigned to the fact that he would not be allowed to spend the money in the Davis toy store.