Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated two schemes for farmers - digital ‘Krishi Batayan’ and ‘Krishak Bondhu Phone Seba’ - to expand agricultural services across the country.
She urged the children of farmers to utilise the knowledge they have gathered from their parents for the development of the country’s agriculture.
“I think this (agriculture) is a sacred profession and all need to get involved in agriculture,” she said.
Hasina said that food security for the country could be ensured through agricultural activities. “There’s nothing nobler than this work. So, we’re using modern technologies in agricultural activities.”
The prime minister said the government has been working to improve living standard and make life and livelihood of people easier by using modern
technology.
For the purpose, Krishi Batayan (Agriculture Window) and Krishok Bandhu Phone Sheba apps Shathi have been launched to provide services to the farmers on problems and prospects of agriculture, she said.
The prime minister asked the authorities concerned to keep provisions there to record questions and answers of the researchers, extension workers, teachers and farmers, and preserve in the Krishi Batayan to use these afterwards.
Hasina said her government implemented various programmes like research on agriculture and creating opportunities for the farmers for which the country got good results and it has become self-reliant on food production.
The government now wants to continue such facilities to further improve agriculture sector of the country, she said, adding that over 5,275 digital centres have been set up across the country from where anyone can avail of information as
required.
The digital platform developed by the A2i of the Prime Minister’s Office in collaboration with the department of agriculture extension has been introduced aiming to expand countrywide e-agriculture services through mobile phones
being used by the farmers.
Under the platform, Agriculture Window has been developed with geographical features having the aspects of various region, districts and upazilas on their areas and nature of lands; orientation of crops as well as successes, challenges and
prospects of agriculture.
To serve the purpose, sub-assistant agriculture officer, agriculture extension officer and sub-district agriculture officer will provide services through cellphones of the farmers enlistedwith the Krishi Batayan.
Any farmer can seek help to get advice from the sub-assistant agriculture officer, agriculture extension officer and sub-district agriculture officer by calling them through 3331 from their mobile phones.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurating a scheme for farmers through videoconferencing in Dhaka yesterday.
