The mega farming push rolls out

The massive farming push aimed at transforming the country's agricultural landscape by modernising farming and promoting quality products was rolled out yesterday, more than three months behind the schedule.

Under the initiative, billed PARTNER,  farmers will get input subsidies through electronic vouchers, while a digital financial system will be built to reach agricultural extension services at  their doorsteps through mobile plant clinics.

The Tk6,910 crore project, so far the single biggest project in agriculture, aims to introduce good agricultural practices on 3 lakh acres of land, promote climate-resilient crop varieties on 2 lakh hectares and increase the cultivation of pulse and oilseed crops on 2 lakh hectares.

More than 2.27 crore farmers will be given "Farmer Smart Cards" as part of the "Smart Bangladesh Initiative" to extend digital agricultural services to the grassroots.

The five-year project was scheduled to start in July.

Wahida Akter, secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, inaugurated the project,"Programme on Agricultural and Rural Transformation for Nutrition Entrepreneurship and Resilience in Bangladesh (PARTNER)", at Krishibid Institute auditorium in Dhaka's Khamarbari yesterday.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the lead agency to implement the project in  495 upazilas across all 64 districts until June 2028, organised the function.

The government is contributing Tk1,151 crore to the project, with the rest coming from the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

According to officials concerned, the PARTNER project has been initiated to ensure food security and nutrition in Bangladesh through sustainable and safe commercial agriculture.

Addressing the function, Wahida Akter emphasised the importance of the project for agricultural transformation. "Therefore, meticulous planning and effective coordination among the project director and relevant stakeholders are necessary for the successful implementation of the project."

The project plans to increase acreage of fruits and vegetables with good agricultural practices (GAP) certification and high-yielding rice varieties, apart from bringing more farm lands under efficient irrigation technologies, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Also, the programme aims to train 20,000 youths to promote agricultural entrepreneurship among men and women.

Md Sayduzzaman, chief (additional secretary) of the Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Institutions Division of the Planning Commission, earlier told The Business Standard that the project, once implemented, would revolutionise the country's agriculture, increase the contribution of agriculture to the GDP and create employment opportunities.

Its progress will be measured by 10 yardsticks linked with separate targets–- following GAP, adopting HYVs, promoting quality seed production and community seed banks, introducing farmer-appropriate technology and efficient irrigation, diversifying pulses, oilseeds, and horticulture. 

Under the project, 10 laboratories will be accredited for testing processes to address food safety concerns for horticulture crops.

The PARTNER project will support agriculture research activities and infrastructure as well as operationalise value chain promotional bodies for select commodities.