KIB Organizations

Organization Details:

BANGLADESH AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (BARC)

The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) under the Ministry of Agriculture is at the apex of the national agricultural research system (NARS). It has the responsibility to strengthen the national agricultural research capability through planning and integration of resources. It is the umbrella under which the entire Bangladesh agricultural research effort is coordinated. This involved cooperative activities in several ministries of government: Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Fisheries and Livestock, Rural Development, Education, Industries, Commerce, Science and Technology, etc. Policies to guide BARC are made by a governing body which is headed by the Hon’ble Minister for Agricultural as its Chairman, with the Hon’ble Minister for Fisheries and Livestock and Hon’ble Minister for Environment and Forest as the co-chairman including Hon’ble Member of the Parliament, top officials of government ministries and research institutes, outstanding scientists, farmers representative as members. The implementation of the policies adopted by the governing body is the responsibility of the Executive Chairman of BARC and the Member-Directors and Directors of specific disciplines. BARC is entrusted with the task of preparing the vision document and the national agricultural research plan. These are the guide for planning and conducting research activities according to the national priorities. Based on these the research institutes draws their master plan. BARC has the responsibility to coordinate research and foster inter-institute collaboration, monitor and review the research program of NARS institutes, assist institutes to strengthen research capacities, establish system-wide operational policies and standard management procedures and assure that each institute is optimally governed.

Vision

The vision of the BARC is to develop an efficient, effective and sustainable system of agricultural research promoting to increase standard of living, which would be adequate for well being of the people of Bangladesh.

Mission

The mission of the BARC is to strengthen and mobilize research capabilities of the institutes of the NARS, universities, private sectors and other stakeholders in partnership in the generation of appropriate technologies and information for the development of agriculture sector.

Goals

• Strengthen and consolidate the national agricultural research system
• Planning, funding, coordination and monitoring of competitive research grants
• Generate client-oriented or demand-driven appropriate technology
• Document and disseminate research outputs to stakeholders
• Improve administrative and financial set up for supporting research
• Create research enabling environment through improved management and financial system.

BACKGROUND

The economy of Bangladesh is predominantly agricultural. About 80 percent of the total population live in rural areas and are directly or indirectly engaged in a wide range of agricultural activities. The agricultural sector contributes around 29 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and generates employment for 63 percent of the total labour force. With the rapid increase in population and high pressure on land it was not possible to achieve increased productivity of agriculture through traditional farming systems. To achieve farmer’s prosperity, alleviate poverty, ensure self reliance in rural communities on sustainable basis, and meet the challenges of the future, a mechanism was needed to systematically coordinate and organize facilities and resources in agricultural research. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) was established in 1973 by the Presidential Order No. 32 to provide systematic approach to plan, evaluate, coordinate and conduct national agricultural research program in order to accelerate food production including fish and livestock and labour productivity. The continuing reorganization of research institutions led to further restructuring of the agricultural research system in 1976. The parliamentary act in 1996 empower BARC with a wider responsibility of planning, priority setting, coordination, monitoring, reviewing and evaluation of research programs and human resource development of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) institutes. This wider responsibility was deemed necessary to improve the effectiveness of resources allocated to the agricultural research community.

OBJECTIV AND FUNCTIONS

The objectives of the Council shall, in view of the need of the country, to be carry out agricultural research, do acts of coordination, planning, monitoring and evaluation, through the institutes, associate institutes and in appropriate cases, through other relevant organizations in different areas of agricultural science.

With a view to carrying out the purpose above the council shall perform the following functions:

In view of the national agricultural policy, identify and prioritize the areas/topics of agricultural research;

Formulate such essential agricultural research plans as would provide the institutes appropriate dimensions in their research programs;

Advise the government in respect of the problems and prospects of agricultural research and about use of the external assistance in the agricultural sector;

Examine and evaluate the budget (based on institutes’ own fund) of all research proposals and of their executive before being placed in the Board Meeting, and make necessary recommendations;

Examine and evaluate the budget of such research proposals and its execution process as would be carried out by any institute or associated institute on the basis of assistance given by the Council either on contract basis or otherwise and make necessary recommendations;

In order to that the standard of research has been maintained, the Council shall;

(i)    monitor the progress of research activities of the institute as per schedule set in the approved research programs and proposals;

(ii)   appoint external panel of expert to review the targeted research programs and accomplishment of each institute and associated institute at the interval of every five years;

(iii)  monitor from time to time the research programs and accomplishments of each institute by internal panel of experts;

Establish and operate new research institutes, research centres, research stations, information centre, museum, herbarium, germplasm and plant introduction centre and assist other organizations in setting these up;

In order to give appropriate shape to the system advice the government or the relevant institute, as the case may be, in respect of rationalizing the number, location and scope of research stations of research centres, library, information centre, museum, herbarium, germplasm and plant introduction centre and other establishments;

Monitor the transfer of agricultural technology at the field level and take timely steps and, where appropriate, advise the concerned authority to remove the bottlenecks in the dissemination of research findings and technology and their application and use at field level by the institutes and associated institutes;

Subject to the provisions of this Act determine the terms and conditions of employment of the staff and officers of the Council;

Undertake necessary steps for higher studies and training in agriculture research and technology for officers and staffs of Council, Institutes and Associated Institutes;

Determine, in the light of government policy, the need for participation in international conferences, seminars and workshops by scientists of Council, Institutes and Associated Institutes and take necessary steps;

Maintain contact with agricultural research institutes or agricultural research organizations of other countries to ensure the effectiveness and utility of their innovations and equipments in Bangladesh agriculture through rapid testing, adaptation and use;

Carry out ex post evaluation of all research projects and other activities of the institutes and, in appropriate cases, of associate institutes and give them necessary advice and direction;

Take any other action or actions as may be required to accomplish the above acts and to give effect to the purpose of this Act;

Chronology of the Consolidation

Of The BARC-NARS

April 5, 1973

Presidential Order No. 32, The Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Order, 1973 was issued “to provide for the establishment of an Agricultural Research Council for the co-ordination of agricultural research conducted by various institutes and organizations located in Bangladesh.

July 5, 1976

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Amendment No. LI of 1976 was issued which substantially provided the critical authorities and management structure for BARC to coordinate all agricultural research in the country.

September 10, 1979

The Ministry of Agriculture directed the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institutes (BARI) be designated as a constituent unit of BARC, while operating under its own Board for administration and management of affairs.

September 15, 1979

The Ministry of Agriculture directed that the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), and Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) “will henceforth process their schemes/projects through Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) for scrutiny and approval before forwarding them to the Government”.

May 27, 1982

The Ministry of Agriculture issued a notification that the “Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) and the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) shall henceforth be constituent units of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, and while working under their respective constitutions, shall be under the supervisory control of the Council”.

July 24, 1983

The Bangladesh Gazette stated that “Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture and Bangladesh Jute Research Institute shall be restructured as autonomous bodies. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture and Bangladesh Jute Research Institute shall be made constituents of the Council”.

October 11, 1983

The Office Order of the Ministry of Education announced the “decision of the Government allocating the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) as the business of Agriculture and Forest Division of the Ministry of Agriculture” to be immediately in force. This was later revised and the BAU was again brought under the Ministry of Education.

May 24, 1988

BARC Amendment Act 1988 of May 24, 1988 provided more authority to the Council to plan, support, coordinate, implement and evaluate agricultural research. This also made coordination more effective amongst several Ministries involved in agricultural research.

August 17, 1996

The Bangladesh Agricultural research Council Act/Revision of earlier Act/1973 giving the council more responsibility and authorities, under its Governing Body. The following national Research Institutes continued to remain as its constituent units.

1. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) – Established in 1976

2. Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) – Established in 1970

3. Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) – Established in 1951

4. Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) – Established in 1984

5. Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI) – Established in 1994

6. Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) – Established in 1984

7. Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) – Established in 1984

8. Bangladesh Forest Research Institute (BFRI) – Established in 1955

9. Bangladesh Tea Research Institute (BTRI) – Established in 1958

10. Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI) – Established in 1983

ORGANIZATION FRAMEWORK

The organizational structure of BARC consists of the Governing Body (GB), the Executive Council (EC) and the BARC Secretariat. Honourable Minister for Agriculture chairs the GB and Minister for Fisheries and Livestock and Minister for Environment and Forests are Co-chairs. There are 26 members representing Extension departments (Agricultural, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry), agricultural universities, agricultural scientists, NGOs. private sectors and farmers.

The Governing Body

The Executive Council

The BARC Secretariat

GOVERNING BODY

The Governing Body (GB) consists of 26 members is the supreme authority of the Council. It controls, directs and oversees the matters pertaining to research, planning, coordination and administrative policy formulation of the Council. The GB consists of:

Honourable Minister for Agriculturte :                                   Chairman

Honourable Minister for Fisheries and Livestock       :           Co-Chairman

Honourable Minister for Environment and Forest      :           Co-Chairman

MEMBERS

Members of Parliament (2)

Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture

Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock

Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests

Secretary, Ministry of Commerce

Member (Agriculture), Planning Commission

Vice-Chancellor, Bangladesh Agricultural University

Vice-Chancellor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University

Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council

Director-General, Department of Agricultural Extension

Director-General, Department of Livestock

Director-General, Directorate of Fisheries

Director-General, Directorate of Environment

Chief Conservator of Forests, Department of Forest

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Establishment

Eminent scientists (3)

Representatives from Agricultural Business Community

Representatives from NGO dealing with Agricultural Research/development

Representative from Farmers

Member Director (Administration and Finance) of BARC acts as Secretary of the Governing Body.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Executive Council (EC) consists of Executive Chairman, BARC, Member Directors of BARC and the Director- Generals/Directors of NARS institutes. Executive Council is responsible to GB, assists in various policy issues in NARS and approves the research proposals of ARIs. The Executive Chairman of BARC chairs the  Executive Council.

Management Board of ARIs

Autonomous institutes are managed by individual Management Board headed by the heads of the institutes (Director- General/Director). Management Board is represented by BARC, Ministry, Private Sector, Farmers, Scientists and other stakeholders.

BARC SECRETARIAT

Executive Chairman: The Executive Chairman, the Chief executive officer of BARC is responsible for the execution of GB decisions and overall administration and implementation of programmes of BARC. The Member Directors of the Council assist the Executive Chairman in carrying out the activities.

Member Directors     : BARC has seven divisions headed by Member Directors. The divisions are:  Crops, Planning and Evaluation, Natural Resource Management, Fisheries, Livestock, Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, and Administration and Finance. These divisions are responsible for coordinating the activities in specific fields or programme areas.

The BARC Secretariat, consisting of technical and general staff, implements the policies and guidelines formulated by the Governing Body. The Secretariat has a number of units, which include the Soils, Forestry, Agricultural Engineering, Computer and GIS Unit, Agriculture Information Centre, Manpower and Training Unit, Nutrition Unit and Technology Transfer and Monitoring Unit. Each Division and Unit of BARC is responsible for identifying problem areas and setting priorities for research, for reviewing project proposals and reports, improving research extension linkages, developing capacity building for emerging research issues, and keeping abreast of the progress of research. Responsibilities also include monitoring and evaluating research programmes, identifying deficiencies in research coverage, and suggesting means of improvement; developing inter-institutional projects and fostering cooperation among scientists and research institutes, and arranging seminars, workshops and international cooperation in their respective fields.