Maintaining biodiveristy of soil is integral for future food security, said experts on Saturday.
To raise food output for a growing population, maintaining good health of soil is an inseparable part of agricultural practice, they said at a seminar.
The comments were made at the seminar on the eve of World Soil Day 2020, organised by the agriculture ministry at a city hotel.
Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), Food and Agriculture Organization of UN, Practical Action Bangladesh (PAB) and Soil Science Society of Bangladesh (SSSB) were co-organisers of the seminar.
The day will be observed in Bangladesh with the theme "Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity".
Speaking s the chief guest through video conferencing, Agricultural Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque said population has been rising by 2.2 million heads every year.
"We have a great challenge ahead to raise production of food to feed the rising population", he said.
To maintain a sustainable growth in crop production it is now unavoidable to maintain sound health of soil, added Mr Razzaque.
He also said biodiversity of soil is necessary for producing nutrition rich quality food.
The minister inaugurated a "soil museum software" and unveiled cover of a book titled "Land Degradation in Bangladesh".
Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim, Agricultural Secretary Mesbahul Islam spoke as special guests while Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) Executive Chairman Sheikh Mohammad Bakhtiar , SRDI Director General Bidhan Kumar Bhandar, FAO Bangladesh Representative Robert D Simpson, Additional Secretary of agriculture Md Hasanuzzaman Kallol also spoke, among others.
