Farmers affected by floods in five districts of Chattogram division will receive Aman rice seeds and seedlings, while a vaccination campaign has been launched to bring all livestock in the affected areas under protection within 15 days, Agriculture and Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid said on Friday.
The minister made the announcement while inaugurating a relief programme at Dohazari in Chandanaish upazila, where rice seeds and agricultural inputs were distributed among flood-affected farmers, fish farmers and livestock owners.
A livestock vaccination campaign was also launched at the event.
Officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension, Department of Livestock Services and Department of Fisheries attended the programme.
Aminur Rashid said all livestock in the five flood-affected districts would be vaccinated against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) within the next 15 days.
“The government will continue providing all necessary support to help flood-affected farmers return to cultivation quickly,” he said.
The minister said Aman rice seedbeds were among the worst affected by the floods. Many farmers had prepared seedbeds before the floods, but prolonged submergence damaged the seedlings.
“Information on affected farmers has been collected through agricultural officials at the union and block levels, and arrangements have been made to provide seeds according to their needs,” he said.
Farmers whose seedbeds were completely damaged are being provided seeds immediately, he said. For those whose lands remain submerged and cannot be used for seed preparation, the government has arranged alternative seedbeds on leased land.
“The seedlings produced there will be distributed among affected farmers within 15 to 20 days so that they can begin transplantation once the floodwaters recede,” the minister added.
Livestock vaccination drive
The minister said the risk of livestock diseases increases after floods, particularly FMD and other infectious diseases.
“Special teams have been formed at the upazila and union levels, and the target is to vaccinate all livestock in the affected districts within 15 days,” he said.
He also said the government had allocated Tk35 lakh in the first phase to address the shortage of livestock feed caused by the floods. Further assistance would be provided based on requirements, he added.
Aminur Rashid said the fisheries sector had also suffered significant losses due to the floods, with preliminary estimates suggesting damage worth several hundred crore taka.
A field-level survey is underway to determine the actual extent of the losses, and necessary rehabilitation measures will be taken for affected fish farmers after the assessment, he said.
Plan for mini cold storages
The minister said the government plans to establish around 2,000 mini cold storages across the country in phases to help farmers preserve their produce and sell it at better prices.
The storage facilities will be set up near production areas so farmers can reduce transportation costs and store crops until market conditions become favourable, he said.
He also said the government would continue recovering illegally occupied canals and carrying out necessary dredging work to reduce flooding and waterlogging.
Earlier, the minister visited flood-affected areas in Chattogram. He later sowed rice seeds at a seedbed and inaugurated the distribution of rice seeds among farmers, pond rehabilitation materials among fish farmers, livestock feed among farmers, and FMD and PPR vaccination programmes for animals.
Among those present were Department of Agricultural Extension Director General Md Abdul Rahim, Department of Livestock Services Director Md Boyzar Rahman, Chattogram divisional fisheries official Md Anwar Hossain and senior officials from relevant departments.
