BANGLADESH - AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

The Ministry of Agriculture will implement the project, which focuses on upgrading the institutional capabilities of the Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). A.I.D. and BDG funds will construct and equip key facilities for ARI; in particular, ARI"s main research/administration complex at Joydevpur will be completed. In addition, AID-funded consultants from an international research organization such as the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) will help ARI conduct a multidisciplinary research program at Joydevpur and at major substations. Research will focus, in order of priority, on wheat, pulses/legumes, vegetables/potatoes, oilseeds (mustard), and cropping systems; a feedback/evaluation system between farmers and ARI research stations will also be established. A.I.D. will fund nine Ph.D. programs and up to 20 career development programs at international centers. A.I.D. will provide TA to upgrade the capacity of the ARC to fulfill its mandate of coordinating and planning research efforts and will also help establish in ARC an International Staff Support and Coordination Cell (ISSCC) responsible for providing logistical support to expatriate researchers (including those working under the project) and to establish linkages with the international research community. Project Paper Amendment No. 1 of 9/21/77 provides additional funding to establish a Vertebrate Pest (VP) Division at ARI. Funds will be used to construct and equip a VP research facility at ARI"s Joydevpur station; to finance long- and short-term TA by the Denver Wildlife Research Center; and to finance one Ph.D. program in the United States and two M.S. programs at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos (UPLB) for ARI personnel (with thesis research conducted in Bangladesh), along with two M.S. programs at UPLB for cooperating scientists from Bangladesh Agricultural University and short-term, nonacademic training for four other ARI personnel. Also, ARC will hold annual meetings on VP management, and ARI will hold at least two short-term VP training workshops. Research will initially focus on developing damage assessment methods and then shift to evaluation of traditional control strategies and specific problems. (PD-AAD-134-A1) Project Paper Amendment No. 2 of 10/26/79 provides additional funding to construct the buildings and facilities necessary for the complete development of ARI"s research station at Ishurdi. (PD-AAF-260-A1). Amendment No. 3 dated 6/79 (sic) also provides funding to expand and complete the Ishurdi Station. (PD-AAJ-826)