The Agriculture Meteorological Board project, backed by the financial support of the World Bank, aimed at providing essential weather information to Manikganj's marginal farmers, renowned for their agricultural endeavors, is currently non-operational, leading to substantial financial losses.
As a direct consequence of this failure, the marginalized farmers have been left in the dark, deprived of crucial weather forecasts, causing severe hardship to millions in the farming community. Despite plans for the installation of this agricultural weather information board across almost all the upazilas of Manikganj, it has been an unattainable goal due to a lack of suitable infrastructure.
The Agricultural Meteorological Board, including rain gauge meters, kiosks, and solar panels, has fallen into disuse due to a lack of proper oversight. The project, initiated in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, saw its first phase completed by June 2021 with an allocation of substantial funds for its establishment. The provision of modern meteorological information services, including internet connectivity, was part of the plan. However, these resources have now become redundant, depriving farmers of advanced services due to the absence of field and district-level monitoring even after the project's supposed operational status. According to sources within the Agriculture Extension Department and the Meteorological Department, the project's sole objective was to disseminate advanced weather forecasts, covering aspects such as rainfall, wind patterns, humidity, and more. With proper supervision, this initiative could have immensely benefited the country's farmers. Regrettably, the Agricultural Meteorological Information System Improvement Project is currently devoid of updated information on its boards.
At the grassroots level, most farmers are unaware of the existence of these weather information boards within the Union Parishad. The project was initially undertaken by the Bangladesh Agricultural Extension Department and Meteorological Department during the fiscal year 2018-2019, with the first phase completed in June 2021. A total of 4,571 agricultural weather forecast information boards were established across the nation, with a staggering allocation of 119 crore rupees.
Local farmers have expressed their dissatisfaction, asserting that the project aimed at improving the agricultural meteorological information system has not yielded any practical benefits. Upazila agriculture officers have also echoed this sentiment, labeling the project as ineffective.
One local, Suruj Mia of Baliati Union in Saturia Upazila, lamented the deteriorating state of the boards, revealing that they remain outdated and in disrepair. Another farmer, Abdul Rahim, voiced his confusion, not knowing the purpose of the board situated in his area. He shared that agriculture office officials had failed to provide any guidance on the matter.
Saturia Upazila Agriculture Officer, Abdullah Al Mamun, acknowledged the initial challenges but noted that these boards could have assisted farmers in predicting rain or anticipating crop-damaging insect attacks if more awareness had been raised. He assured that steps were being taken to address the issues, including the repair of damaged manual wheels on some boards. Daulatpur Upazila Agriculture Officer, Mohammad Rezaul Haque, explained the inability to set up boards in certain unions, citing a lack of council facilities as the primary hindrance.
An anonymous official disclosed that the boards were installed in the respective union councils without coordination with relevant authorities during the project's establishment, leading to their rapid obsolescence.
Deputy Director of the Manikganj Agricultural Extension Department, Abu Md. Enayet Ullah, redirected inquiries to those responsible for the project, declining to provide further information.
The project director responsible for the establishment of agricultural weather forecast information boards, Md. Shah Kamal Khan, similarly deferred discussions and recommended contacting the Deputy Director of the project for further insights.
