Flood-hit farmers to get seedlings, cattle feed and livestock vaccines: Agriculture Minister

Agriculture Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid on Tuesday announced a set of emergency measures to help farmers recover from flood-related losses, including setting up special seedbeds, distributing paddy seedlings, supplying dry cattle feed and launching a vaccination campaign against foot-and-mouth disease.

The minister made the announcement at a press conference at the Press Information Department (PID) conference room in Dhaka.

He said Aman paddy seedbeds had suffered the most damage in the ongoing floods, with newly sprouted seedlings submerged and destroyed in many areas. Providing fresh seedlings to affected farmers would therefore be a top priority, he added.

Officials of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) at union and block levels are collecting field-level information around the clock, while a dedicated control room has been set up at the ministry to monitor the situation, the minister said.

Emergency seedbeds will be established on land owned by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and the agriculture department in flood-affected areas, he said. The seedlings produced there will be distributed among affected farmers based on their requirements once floodwaters recede.

The minister said farmers who had already transplanted paddy suffered losses not only to their crops but also to fertilisers applied to their fields, as floodwaters washed them away.

“As a result, they will require additional support to resume cultivation,” he said.

He said records maintained by block-level assistant agricultural officers would be used to identify affected farmers and ensure assistance reaches the appropriate beneficiaries.

Support for livestock and fisheries sectors

Addressing the impact on livestock, Aminur Rashid said floods had destroyed straw and grazing land, creating shortages of cattle feed.

The government will provide dry cattle feed, straw and bran to affected areas immediately, he said.

He added that the risk of foot-and-mouth disease rises during the monsoon season. The authorities have instructed officials to begin a large-scale livestock vaccination campaign in flood-hit areas within the next one to two days.

Highlighting losses in the fisheries sector, the minister said many fish had escaped from ponds after embankments were breached by floodwaters.

A list of affected fish farmers is being prepared, and the government will provide them with necessary support, he said.

The minister said the government’s priority was to quickly rehabilitate flood-affected farmers, livestock owners and fish farmers, restore agricultural production and safeguard the country’s food security.