HarvestPlus has been working with the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to develop zinc rice. Recently, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) joined HarvestPlus in zinc rice development. Rice is the primary staple food in Bangladesh. 
To date, four open pollinated zinc rice varieties have been released by BRRI and are already available to farmers to plant during either the Aman or Boro seasons. A newly released hybrid zinc rice variety, BU Aromatic Zinc Rice, developed by BSMRAU will be disseminated in Aman, 2017. We work with public, private sector, and non-governmental partners to multiply and distribute seed, educate farmers on the benefits of zinc rice, and promote wider adoption and consumption of the crop through public awareness campaigns. We also provide training and technical support to our partners, including the government’s crop breeding and agricultural extension programs.
"I am cultivating zinc rice because it has extra zinc, which actually helps in a child’s development."— Fazlur Rahman, Farmer from Sunamganj District
Country Contacts
| Khairul Bashar Country Manager-Bangladesh, c/o International Food Policy Research Institute 4th floor, House 39, Rabindra Sarani, Sector 3, Uttara, Dhaka 1230 Phone: +880 2 9872641 Email: k.bashar@cgiar.org |
Partners
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