More than 25,000 grassroots farmers will be given ideas and knowledge related to adopt climate-smart agriculture methods for making their farming outputs profitable in the Rajshahi region, including its Barind area.
They will also attain practical knowledge about boosting irrigation efficiency and farm productivity besides availing and expanding local agro-business opportunities through connecting a strong public-private stakeholder network.
To this end, a project titled "Climate Resilient Agriculture Advancement in Barind" will be implemented in Paba upazila of Rajshahi, Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj and Niamotpur and Potnitola upazilas in Naogaon districts.
Agricultural officials and other stakeholders revealed this while addressing a project orientation workshop at the office conference hall of Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) here on Thursday.
DASCOH Foundation will implement the project, technically supported by the Syngenta Foundation while financially supported by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.
Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Kazi Rafiqul Hassan addressed the workshop as the chief guest while DAE Additional Director Shamsul Wadud, Deputy Director Mozdar Hossain and Country Head of Corporate Services Abdullah Al Mamun spoke as special guests.
Country Director of Syngenta Foundation Farhad Zamil and Jahangir Alam Khan from DASCOH Foundation also joined the project inception meeting.
Program Development Lead Abdur Rouf gave an overview of the project along with its aims, objectives, components and implementation strategy.
He told the meeting that they will promote climate smart technologies for increasing water use efficiency and farm productivity coupled with fallow land utilization.
There are provisions of empowering women and youth in agriculture through creating job opportunities and agro-entrepreneurship programmes.
Partnership development among public and private sector stakeholders will be done for innovations, value chain strengthening and export promotion.
The project is intended to bring 12,000 farmers under the farmer entrepreneur hub network and there will be 25 of them in each of the developed hubs.
Besides, five supply chains will be developed for local and export markets.
Income generation of each of the entrepreneurs will stand 3,600 US dollars annually side by side with two to five price advantages for the farmers' better market linkage.
