BAAG organized a workshop on 30 April 2016 on Public Private Partnership in Agricultural R&D in Bangladesh. The workshop was chaired by Dr. Kazi M. Badruddoza and attended by scientists and agricultural professionals from all NARS institute including DAE. There were four papers presented on the workshop to highlight potential of collaboration between public and private sector. The papers are available in the website of BAAG. The key recommendations of the workshop are:
1. In rice there are high degree of potentials of many of the traditional varieties to be helpful for breeding high quality nutrient rich HYV of rice. But there is such attention by the public-sector organizations to work on those. However, based on market demand some such materials have already been in the lab tables of the private company for their improvement and using the traits of market demand to the HYVs. Government if encourages the private sector through project funding in collaboration with public organizations like BRRI, BINA or universities then it will pay a very high dividend at the end for sustainable nutritional food security as well as finding a good external market.
2. Recent increased production of potato indicates that the potential area can further be increased with more HYV bringing from outside. But already large number varieties have been released and are performing variably under different conditions of production. The management practices need improvement not only for cultivation but also for processing and storage. The disease resistant varieties and high dry matter containing with low reducing sugars have been identified as market demand traits in addition to high yields. These types of varieties when developed by public organizations the need is for collaboration with private companies which will produce quality seeds, will purchase the products after harvest, process the same for storage and for fresh use of products for export markets. Government support to companies having capacities to contribute matching funds for a highly important crop like potato from the PPP fund of the government.
3. In the crop sector on crash program basis there should be one documentation of all plant genetic resource available in different institutes universities and characterized for one season covering the participating organizations under their control but under one project command system so that the document can be finalized and printed with distribution in the website to be developed for this issue only. This will help all future researchers to collect the sample of their interest of research with MTA or SMTA provisions. This will protect all the germplasm against bio-piracy. A central project can be developed by BARC and request for funding from the PPP funds of the government.
4. The most important needs of the crop sector is to organize contract farming groups keeping them within the farm work acceptance of the technology and producing quality products where the provisions of such production supporting with high quality seed materials usually calls for large funding. The company in such case uses their own fund having high interest to return. It would be very promising if the PPP fund is created and kept with the banks to make available to the industries of agricultural activities having credibility over years.
5. In case of Fisheries the issues are in addition to specific R&D covering development of new breeds/species of economically important fish resources for different conditions including cultured fisheries and captured fisheries. The private sector hatcheries are already in similar process. The public-sector scientists can extend their support of knowledge and skills with the permission of the authority, considering as part of their service conditions. They will usually ask for funding for such activities.
6. The Livestock sector provides a considerable part of the daily nutritious diet, which more for economically solvent families than the disadvantaged groups. So, increase in research expenditure will help development of breeds and feed of diverse nature to become more productive to support higher nutrition to many more. In doing so, the industries working on such approach will need considerable funding as loan to be paid back on long term without interest but with a nominal service charge.
7. Thus, the whole issue of the PPP will require a provision of earmarked fund of about 500 crore to be distributed through maximum of five banks for use by the industries having: