RAJSHAHI, June 7, 2021 (BSS) – Agricultural extension officials and scientists unequivocally called for using information technologies in agriculture for boosting yield to feed the gradually rising population.
Substantial and sustainable uses of modern technologies are the precondition to make the country self-reliant in food through facing all the existing challenges, including the adverse impact of climate change and Covid-19 pandemic.
They came up with the deliberations while disseminating their expertise at a daylong seminar titled “Use of Information Technology in Agriculture” in Rajshahi on Sunday.
Rajshahi Regional Office of Agriculture Information Services (AIS) hosted the seminar at its conference hall under the Modernization of Agriculture Information Service and Digital Agriculture Information and Communication Strengthening Project.
Additional Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Sirajul Islam addressed the meeting as chief guest, while Deputy Director Abdul Awal and Regional Director of Bangladesh Betar Hassan Akhter spoke as special guests.
Principal Scientific Officer of Regional Fruit Research Station Dr Alim Uddin, Project Director of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority Rafiqul Islam and Principal Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute Dr Ilias Hossain also spoke. Regional Agriculture Information Officer Abdullah-Hil-Kafi welcomed the participants.
The experts discussed and devised ways and means on how to expand agriculture information and technologies furthermore among the grassroots farmers in digital methods.
Utmost emphasis should be given on reaching the information and technologies to the farmers so that they can derive total benefits of those successfully.
Discussants urged their field level colleagues and subordinates to motivate the grassroots farmers towards expanding and promoting fruit farming to meet up the gradually mounting demands through boosting production.
They also urged them to promote the less-water consuming crops like wheat, maize and pulses in Barind area to reduce the gradually mounting pressure on its underground water.
Farming cost of the less-irrigation consuming cereal crops is less than the Irri-Boro paddy so utmost emphasis should be given on boosting the acreage of the crops.