RAJSHAHI, June 19, 2021 (BSS) – A number of 86,430 farmers and 7350 others
will be imparted agriculture technology training aimed at successful
expansion of modern tech in the agriculture sector in the division.
In this regard, a total of 93,780 people, including 86,430 farmers will be
brought under a two-day need-based training course in different batches as
25,820 demonstrations of new technologies and crop varieties and plants will
be made.
The promotional activities already started in the division under a project
titled “Agriculture Development Project of Rajshahi Division through
Extension of Modern Technology” being implemented for extensive agricultural
production.
“We will arrange 2,582 field days in each of the project covering areas for
reaching the modern farming technologies to the grassroots farmers so that
they can derive total benefits of the project,” Dr SM Hasanuzzaman, Director
of the project, told BSS.
He said the five-year project is being implemented in 67 Upazilas of all
eight districts in the division at a cost of around Taka 147.03 crore since
January, 2020.
On behalf of the project, 201 farm machineries will be distributed among
farmers’ organizations at 70 percent subsidy in order to reduce the farmers-
level production cost through farm mechanization.
Dr Hasanuzzaman said Rajshahi division has been contributing a lot towards
meeting the country’s overall food demands as it has vast plains, vast barind
tract, scores of beels and char areas of Padma and Jamuna and many small and
big rivers.
It is also famous for production of all kinds of food grains, pulses,
oils, vegetables, fruits and spices.
After meeting local demands, the region has been supplying food grains,
fruits and vegetables to different parts of the country including the capital
Dhaka regularly.
Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts are famous for mango
production, while Natore and Pabna for litchi and Pabna, Bogura, Rajshahi,
Natore and Joypurhat for vegetable production.
The Ministry of Agriculture has adopted the project to increase the
overall development and production of agriculture in the division through
converting the vast land into bi-crop and tri-crop.
Upon successful implementation by December, 2024, the project will help
increase cropping intensity to 242 percent from 237 percent through expansion
of modern agriculture technologies.
Besides, the project is intended to enhancing production of paddy, pulse
and oilseed to 12 percent each, wheat and maize to 10 percent each, spice to
13 percent, vegetables to 15 percent and fruits to 14 percent.