Traditional rice takes a back seat as farmers turn to hybrids to
meet increased demand
During the green revolution, a booming population and increased demand
for essential commodities such as rice led farmers to turn towards hybrid
varieties of rice in order to realize higher yields, sales and profits. This process continues today. Using hybrid
varieties allow farmers to increase their harvests in shorter time periods,
which allow for more cultivation opportunities throughout the year. While the
hybrid varieties are assisting in meeting market demand and keeping market
prices stables, they have several disadvantages.
First , rice is the most important staple in the local diet and a main
source of nutrition for this impoverished nation. Hybrid varieties often fail
to provide the same nutritional values that are found in the traditional rice
breeds and dependency on them may actually add to chronic malnutrition problems
that already exist.
Moreover, as these hybrid seeds
are not a result of the natural selection process, they require additional
investment in harmful fertilizers and pesticides to sustain their growth. Altering
soil composition to accommodate hybrid seeds means that the natural
environment/ ecosystem is impacted in the long run.
Finally, since cultivating hybrid rice offers quicker yields, the
traditional varieties are losing out. Each region of the country was renowned
for a special breed of rice that was cultivated in that area. With farmers turning
towards hybrids, the traditional rice varieties are slowly facing extinction.
With the extinction of these breeds, a part of local culture is also being
eroded.
Perhaps, authorities, farmers and agro-businesses should focus on
promoting and adopting advanced agricultural methods that allow for the revival
of the older breeds. In fact, there has
been a recent resurgence in demand for more traditional and nutritional rice
varieties. The expertise on how to cultivate them is already available and soil
conditions are naturally suited for these breeds. There is likely a role for greater
experimental research on these issues and subsequently a working plan to
reintroduce breeds that are in the long run beneficial to both cultivators and customers.
Wal-Mart to help set up supplier training academy in Bangladesh
In a bid to improve factory conditions, US retailer Walmart, in
collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Communities and Bureau Veritas,
has planned to fund a new Environmental, Health, and Safety Academy in
Bangladesh. This academy will train suppliers on ensuring workplace safety measures
and improving overall working conditions.
It is unclear if Walmart’s $1.6million donation is an act of corporate
social responsibility, an effort to ensure tighter quality control measures in
its supply chain, or an attempt to improve its tarnished image in the wake of
the Tazreen Fashions fire. Regardless,
this move by Walmart is likely to be received by a mixture of relief and
appreciation by the local RMG industry for a variety of reason.
To begin with, as Walmart and other international bodies are investing
in this project, it may be an indirect indication that buyers still intend to
use Bangladesh as a major supplier - despite the recent shutdowns and delays in
meeting orders.
Moreover, foreign expertise at the training academy will allow for the
adoption of best practices that have already been successfully tried and tested
in other countries. This could lead to
meaningful gains in worker safety across the industry.
Finally, sincere efforts to improve worker welfare may help rebuild
foreign buyer confidence in an industry whose image has become tarnished by
shutdowns and factory fires. International buyers will likely feel more confident
in contracting from local companies that have taken advantage of the training
center.
