IN a technology-driven world where new cultivation techniques are being applied in the agriculture sector to maximise output, Bangladesh has not been able to capitalise on such modern technology well within our reach. A Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) study says that while present per annum yield of rice hovers around 3.5crore tonnes, Bangladesh could actually increase production to 7.00crore tonnes through introducing modern irrigation system, proper use of fertilizer and bringing more fallow land under cultivation. But what is happening in real life is just the contrary. As farmers do not remain conversant with modern ways of agro-technology, they fall for unnecessary use of water for boro cultivation, which is 50 percent more than what is actually required. And because of the excess amount of water, nutrients from fertilizers go deeper into the soil beyond the reach of the plant roots. This wastage ultimately results in low yield of crop. On the other hand, farmers are faced with shortage of water during cultivation of Aman, another major rice variety, that again results in lesser yields. Agriculture experts are of the opinion that through adopting new techniques of irrigation the per hectare yield of boro can be raised from 3.66 tonnes to 6.00 tonnes. And aman yield can be more than doubled in the same way. Another report focuses on the relative inefficiency of irrigation system in Bangladesh where irrigation accounts for 28 percent of rice production cost, which is 13 percent in India, 8 percent in Thailand and 6 percent in Vietnam. When globally food is taking the centre stage in the national economy of developing countries and is a potent precondition to social stability, it is no wonder this would remain a subject matter of engaging deliberation in Bangladesh. But mere talking will not get us anywhere. The utter need to feed an ever-growing population makes it all the more vital to use modern agro-technology to get the most out of our existing farmlands. We urge the government to extend full support to the endeavours of our agro-experts in strategising greater food production in a sustainable manner.