DHAKA, May 30, 2024 (BSS) - Speakers at a seminar today said adoption of
farmers' friendly technology as well as low-cost locally manufactured devices
and database, ensuring competitive prices and necessary policy support to
farmers would help materialize building 'Smart Agriculture' in Bangladesh.

They said adoption of smart agriculture practices like precision agriculture
could potentially increase agricultural productivity by 20 to 30 percent,
reduce input costs by up to 20 percent and increase farmers' income by 30 to
40 percent.

The speakers came up with such remarks at a seminar on "Smart Agriculture:
Issues and Challenges in Value Chain Development" organised by Dhaka Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at its auditorium in the capital today.

Speaking at the seminar as the chief guest, State Minister for Commerce
Ahasanul Islam Titu said a full functioning one-point service desk would be
established at DCCI soon to provide online IRC and ERC issuance facilities to
the importers and exporters.

"By the end of this year, all services of Registrar of Joint Stock Companies
(RJSC) will also be paperless," he further informed.
 
Titu also emphasized on a need-based locally tailored farmers-friendly
technology to implement smart agriculture in the country.

It is equally important to ensure better and logical prices of produces both
for producers and consumers and for that he underscored the need for a smooth
supply chain process including adequate organized commodity markets across
the country, the state minister said.
 
He also said that standardization and certification process would ensure
better and genuine product specifying the exact origin of variety.

The state minister for Commerce also informed that the Logistic Policy-2024
is going to be a game-changer for the businessmen. He reiterated the need for
ICT backed research and innovation to bring in more diversification in the
product basket.
 
While speaking as special guest, Md. Shamsul Arefin, secretary of Information
and Communication Technology Division, said: "For smart agriculture, we need
to make our farmers or producers smart at fast."

He also stressed on smart innovation, research and development and a strong
knowledge-based economy in the agriculture sector.

"Without smart government, no other sector can be smart...Smart citizen and
skilled government officers, having good human attribute, honesty and
integrity, will help the government to be smart," he added.

DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed said: "From the farmers to the consumers, we see
at least 40-45 percent post-harvest loss."

Noting that logistic chain and market chain are two very important but
separate challenges, he said to mitigate post-harvest losses, cool-chain and
smoother transportation system are necessary.

"Moreover, we should develop a waste management system so that we can recycle
the agriculture wastages into other product," he added.

Ashraf also termed inefficiencies in the supply chain, market access barriers
and limited value addition as few bottlenecks for accelerating value chain
development in Bangladesh's agriculture sector.

"But, our mobile financial service (MFS) network in Bangladesh is
impressively strong and if we want we can get the subsidy to the hand of
farmers directly through MFS within a short time," he added.

He also emphasized for an updated database to create a smart agriculture
environment.

Malik Talha Ismail Bari, senior vice-president of the DCCI, in his welcome
remarks said, in recent decades, Bangladesh has made a significant stride in
agricultural development. "But, climate change poses a severe threat, with
increasing frequency of floods, cyclones and droughts that disrupt
agricultural productivity a lot."

Fahad Ifaz, co-founder and CEO of iFarmer Limited, presented the first
keynote paper on "Opportunities of Frontier Tech Automation in Agro Value
Chain".

He highlighted that frontier technology in agriculture can reduce information
asymmetries for farmers, facilitate greater access to market and services,
reduce cost, reduce climate impact, improve yielding.

According to McKinsey and Company, frontier technology in agriculture could
potentially add US$500 billion to world GDP by 2030, he added.

Mohammad Sakib Khaled, senior manager (programme) of Swisscontact presented
another keynote paper on "Addressing Key Issues and Challenges of Smart
Agricultural Value Chain".

In order to fight against the climate change, a massive transformation of
agriculture sector is needed, he said, adding: "Local investment in the
livestock sector is increasing in Bangladesh and in next 10-year it will be
doubled."
 
Sakib noted limited supply of quality inputs, lack of good agricultural
practices, post-harvest losses, climate vulnerability, lack of integrated
supply chain and lack of policy implementation are responsible for the
overarching gaps in the agriculture value chain.

In the panel discussion, National Senior Lead Agronomist Md. Abdul Kader, FAO
Representation in Bangladesh, Vice-president of BSAFE Foundation and Former
Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture Anwar Faruque, Additional Director of
Agricultural Credit Department in Bangladesh Bank (BB) Dr. Md. Abu Bakkar
Siddique, Chief Executive Officer Aqualink Bangladesh Limited Sayed Rizban
Hussain, CEO & Founder of Win Incorporate Dr. Kashfia Ahmed, Founder/CEO Dr.
Chashi Incorporation Medina Ali, Director & CEO of Kranti Associates Limited
Dr. Muhammad Risalat Siddique took part and shared their views.

The speakers emphasized for low cost farmers-friendly locally manufactured
device and database, ensuring competitive price for the farmers and policy
support to implement smart agriculture. They also urged for good agricultural
practice (GAP) and utilizing ICT for commercial farming.

DCCI Vice-president Md. Junaed Ibna Ali and members of the Board of Directors
were present, among others, during the event.