OFFICIALS of the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) paid a courtesy visit to the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), also for a briefing with SEARCA officials.
The visitors from the Bangladeshi institution on Oct. 23, 2023 were led by Dr. Mirza Mofazzal Islam, BINA director general, and Dr. Shamsun Nahar Begum, BINA chief scientific officer and Plant Breeding Division head, who were also briefed on SEARCA's mandate, programs and services.
They were welcomed by a SEARCA delegation led by director Dr. Glenn Gregorio.
Joining the meeting with BINA visitors were Associate Prof. Joselito Florendo, deputy director for administration; Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Education and Collective Learning senior program head; Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari, Research and Thought Leadership program head; lawyer Eric Reynoso, Emerging Innovation for Growth program head; Corinta Guerta, technical advisor to the director; Sharon Malaiba, Partnerships unit head; and Partnerships Unit staff.
Formerly known as Atomic Energy Agricultural Research Centre, BINA is a national institute prominent for its well-equipped laboratories and field research facilities.
During the meeting, Islam discussed BINA's mission and focus areas which is "to double agricultural productivity through sustainable use of soil, water and other resources."
"BINA has succeeded in developing and releasing 125 modern varieties of important crops using nuclear techniques," she said, explaining that they invested in state-of-the-art facilities and technology to achieve its mission.
According to Islam, BINA currently has one regional office and 13 substations in various parts of Bangladesh.
It also has 11 research divisions focusing on plant breeding, crop physiology, soil science, entomology, plant pathology, agricultural engineering, agronomy, adaptive research and extension, biotechnology, horticulture and agricultural economics.
Showcasing BINA's full-forced manpower, Islam said the institution has 170 scientists, 76 officers and 328 employees.
The delegation was also given a tour of the SEARCA Hub for Agriculture and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation, also called SHARING.