Editorial

This issue, though quite late because of some unavoidable circumstances, comes out in an enlarged form. The inconvenience caused to the readers due to the delay is regretted.

To cover up the back issues, this issue includes 11 contributed articles in place of 3-4 articles per issue.

This publication is designed for a wide spectrum of readers- policy makers executives, donors, researchers, general public and students. It must be realized by all concerned that, with the present trend of utilization of agricultural residues for cooking and parboiling, this fertile land of ours may go barren in the next 50-100 years because of the deficiencies of organic matter and essential micronutrients such as zinc, boron, molybdenum, etc. the population has already surpassed 130 million mark adding at a compounded rate of 1.7% per year. To live, one has to eat and to cat, one must cook food items with any type of fuels available. Some 50 years ago, most of the paddy stalks were left in the field that led to the recycling of organic matter and micronutrients. But now, most of the paddy fields are without any paddy stalks leading to increasing deficiency of these matters. Although decrease of water flow in rivers leading to decreased submerged areas is an important factor contributing to the deficiency of micronutrients, non-recycling of crop residues is also a significant factor.

It is gratifying that Government of Bangladesh is financing projects for dissemination of biogas plants and improved stoves developed by the Institute of Fuel Research and Development (IFRD) of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR). These projects helps save biomass fuels through improved stoves and by providing alternative fuels for cooking and parboiling. These initiatives must be further strengthened and expanded. We are already late. We have no time to wait.