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06 June 2010, Dhaka. BRAC’s Agricultural Research and Development Centre has been assessing the performance of early maturing Vietnamese and the NERICA (African) varieties of rice at its Gazipur farm.

 

 

BRAC experiments with fast-growing, high-yielding rice varieties

Dr. Mahabub Hossain, BRAC Executive Director and BRAC Agriculture Researchers visit
90 days old plant in Gazipur
 


The BRAC experiment shows that the Vietnamese varieties (OM576 and AF996) perform better with regard to maturity and yield than the African varieties (see Table).

“We are excited with the superior performance of two Vietnamese varieties as potential short maturity variety for the aus season,” BRAC Executive Director Mahbub Hossain said in June. “They gave yields of 5.6 to 5.8 tons per hectare compared to 4.4 t/ha for BRRI Dhan 28 and matured in 95 days. Next year, we shall conduct this trial at different locations in Bangladesh,” he added.

Duration & Yield of 6 rice varieties
    
Variety Name     Duration(Days)     Yield(tons/ha)
OM576     95     5.8
AF996     95     5.57
OM1490     97     5.36
OM2718     97     5.11
OM4498     97     5.5
BRRI Dhan28     96     4.37
          
Table of the comparative yield of NERICA and Vietnamese varieties, and the Bangladesh check, BRRI Dhan 28, grown at BRAC Gazipur farm.

The fast-growing, high-yielding varieties could help Bangladesh achieve self-sufficiency in rice production. The NERICA varieties, which also resist pests and tolerate droughts and infertile soils better, can help improve food security in drier areas of the country.

 

 

 

02 June 2010, Dhaka. An agreement was signed with BRAC today under which the Netherlands will provide €18.75 million in support of "Education for All: Delivering on Access and Quality" activities.  The duration of the agreement is till 31 December 2012 and the contribution will be pooled with the funds coming from DFID, CIDA, AusAID and OxfamNovib. 

Netherlands’ support of € 18.75 million for BRAC Education

 

The signatories at the BRAC Centre agreement ceremony were H.E. Mr. Alphons Hennekens, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Chairperson of BRAC. Mr. Abu Alam Md. Shahid Khan, Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) was the guest speaker on the occasion.

In his speech, the Dutch Ambassador pointed out that BRAC`s education programme provides complementary services which are closely linked with the formal education system. He highlighted the results of BRAC`s Education Programme 2004-2009 and congratulated BRAC, its education staff and its partner NGOs for these achievements. The Ambassador commended Government`s approval of the new National Education Policy as a framework and foundation for a diverse but unified system of quality education for all Bangladeshi children.

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, in his speech, reiterated the Ambassador`s message that BRAC`s activities in education are to support the Government to help achieve Bangladesh`s Education for All (EFA) goals within 2015.  BRAC will focus on ensuring quality and reducing drop outs, essential for achieving EFA, and reaching underserved and hard-to-reach communities such as in the haors, chars, the Chittagong Hill Tracts and urban slums.  He underscored the need for improving quality of secondary education for the development of Bangladesh`s human resources and the role of IT in education.

The Secretary-in-Charge of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Mr. Abu Alam Md. Shahid Khan, emphasised the importance of strengthening public-private partnerships between Government and organisations like BRAC. He pointed out that Government aims at quality education for all children and appreciates the efforts and experiences of BRAC in education.

 

30 June 2010, Dhaka. BRAC and the European Union (EU) signed a Euro 5 million (BDT 400 million) agreement today for "Restoring socio-economic stability and strengthening community resilience in areas affected by cyclone AILA".  The EU support will help link the relief phase with the longer term reconstruction and development of the affected areas. 

 

The signatories were Dr Stefan Frowein, Head of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh and Dr. Mahabub Hossain, Executive Director of BRAC.  

The EU support, being made available under its Instrument for Stability, will provide much-needed interventions to promote socio-economic stability and to strengthen the economic and physical resilience and protection of communities against future natural disasters.  Emergency support of Euro 9 million (BDT 720 million was provided earlier to AILA victims under ECHO. With this support EU continues to meet its responsibilities as a major donor during the post-AILA recovery period.

BRAC, which has been working continuously in the affected areas, will target its interventions to support poor small farmers and fishers, van pullers, small traders, homestead owners and landless day labourers over the next 18 months.

In comments made during the ceremony, Dr. Frowein said that "This additional support underlines the solidarity which the European Union has expressed with the government and the people of Bangladesh in the wake of this terrible natural disaster." and referred to the agreement with BRAC as "a competent partnership".

Dr. Hossain, in his speech, thanked EU for supporting the rehabilitation of AILA victims and noted with satisfaction the trust and confidence that BRAC had been able to earn from the EU through the effective implementation of a similar project for SIDR victims.  BRAC, he said, was fully committed to serving the AILA affected people with the same efficiency and zeal.

The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to stability and rehabilitation in the coastal areas of south-western Bangladesh that were devastated and damaged by cyclone AILA.

30 September 2009, Dhaka. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said he was “extremely impressed” by BRAC’s activities and outreach after meeting with BRAC Founder and Chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed at the Vancouver Peace Summit in September.

The Dalai Lama commented that Abed’s work, and the evolution of the organisation he started, exemplified the process by which “real change must start with individuals, then family, then community.” Abed shared his personal story and that of building BRAC during a private retreat at the peace summit, organised by the Dalai Lama Centre for Peace and Education from Sept. 27-29.

His Holiness also expressed admiration for how the organisation is now able to export decades of expertise to other countries in need. He made the comments during an interview with Maria Shriver on the last day of the Summit.

The Summit centred around dialogue with the Dalai Lama, and brought together luminaries like former Irish President and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Mary Robinson, religious scholar Karen Armstrong, First Lady of California Maria Shriver, and Nobel laureates Jody Williams, Mairead Maguire and Betty Williams.

BRAC USA President and CEO Susan Davis moderated the Summit’s closing session, which focused on “Women and Peace Building.” Panellists discussed the vital, but often unrecognised role women play in advancing peace. They urged more investment in girls and women for greater participation in political office, and called for giving wider publicity to stories on how women are building peace.

The panel included His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Abed, former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell, Dr. Swanee Hunt of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Ela Bhatt - the founder of Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), and Emmy awarding-winning musician and co-chair of the NoVo Foundation Peter Buffett.

The session opened with a performance by composer and singer Peter Buffett and cellist Michael Kott. It included an original song, “Set Us Free,” which was inspired by a visit to BRAC`s programme for adolescent girls. It was accompanied by a video, which is available on  youtube as well as on http://blog4brac.blogspot.com/.

Wednesday, 09 September 2009 17:00

Ten girls get BRAC-Rai Foundation Scholarships

10 September 2009, Dhaka. Ten female students were awarded BRAC-Rai Foundation Scholarships 2009 (2nd batch) for higher education under BRAC’s Medhabikash programme.

BRAC Chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed urged the students to return home to serve the nation after completing their studies abroad. He also advised them to work hard so that their services can benefit thousands of other poor students.
 
“Keeping the poor people aside, Bangladesh cannot expect prosperity,” he told the students when they called on him before leaving for India on Sept. 9.

 

Monday, 26 October 2009 17:00

BRAC Hosts Donor Consortium

27 October 2009, Dhaka. BRAC met with its principal donors and updated them on its activities, highlighting achievements, new interventions and opportunities to extend existing efforts.

Representatives from DFID, CIDA, AUSAID, UNICEF, NOVIB and Oxfam Norway attended the meet at the BRAC Centre in Dhaka on Oct. 26,
 
High-level BRAC officials explained BRAC’s interventions, achievements and lessons learned, and underscored the next steps to take.

BRAC Executive Director Dr. Mahabub Hossain presented an overview of recent developments in Bangladesh, particularly the financial crisis and its impact.

07 July 2010, Dhaka. A total of 79 children with special needs (CSN) from BRAC schools in five districts participated and won 101 prizes in a divisional sports competition, organised by the National Association of Sports for Persons with Disabilities (NASPD).

BRAC’s CSN unit facilitated the students’ participation to promote their social right and boost their self-confidence.

About 24 organisations took part in the Divisional Sports Competition for People with Disabilities.

Wednesday, 09 September 2009 17:00

Ten girls get BRAC-Rai Foundation Scholarships

10 September 2009, Dhaka. Ten female students were awarded BRAC-Rai Foundation Scholarships 2009 (2nd batch) for higher education under BRAC’s Medhabikash programme.

BRAC Chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed urged the students to return home to serve the nation after completing their studies abroad. He also advised them to work hard so that their services can benefit thousands of other poor students.
 
“Keeping the poor people aside, Bangladesh cannot expect prosperity,” he told the students when they called on him before leaving for India on Sept. 9.

 

Monday, 26 October 2009 17:00

BRAC Hosts Donor Consortium

 

27 October 2009, Dhaka. BRAC met with its principal donors and updated them on its activities, highlighting achievements, new interventions and opportunities to extend existing efforts.

Representatives from DFID, CIDA, AUSAID, UNICEF, NOVIB and Oxfam Norway attended the meet at the BRAC Centre in Dhaka on Oct. 26,
 
High-level BRAC officials explained BRAC’s interventions, achievements and lessons learned, and underscored the next steps to take.

BRAC Executive Director Dr. Mahabub Hossain presented an overview of recent developments in Bangladesh, particularly the financial crisis and its impact.

Monday, 26 October 2009 17:00

BRAC Hosts Donor Consortium

 

27 October 2009, Dhaka. BRAC met with its principal donors and updated them on its activities, highlighting achievements, new interventions and opportunities to extend existing efforts.

Representatives from DFID, CIDA, AUSAID, UNICEF, NOVIB and Oxfam Norway attended the meet at the BRAC Centre in Dhaka on Oct. 26,
 
High-level BRAC officials explained BRAC’s interventions, achievements and lessons learned, and underscored the next steps to take.

BRAC Executive Director Dr. Mahabub Hossain presented an overview of recent developments in Bangladesh, particularly the financial crisis and its impact.

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