Govt to Bring 27.5 Million Farmers onto Digital Platform: Prime Minister

The government has launched an initiative to bring nearly 27.5 million farmers under a digital platform as part of its broader plan to transform Bangladesh's agriculture into a technology-driven, profitable and sustainable sector.

Prime Minister Tarek Rahman disclosed the information while responding to a question from MP Md. Abul Kalam during the Question and Answer session on the 21st sitting of the second session of the 13th National Parliament on Wednesday (July 8).

He said the government is implementing a series of practical initiatives to modernize agriculture through research, innovation, mechanization and advanced digital technologies.

According to the Prime Minister, the initiatives include farmer registration, a national farmer database, digital agricultural services, mobile-based weather forecasts, market price information, agricultural advisory services, e-extension platforms and online agricultural service systems.

He said the Farmer Card programme has also been launched to ensure direct delivery of government services and to bring approximately 27.5 million farmers under a unified digital platform.

The Prime Minister added that the government is expanding agricultural mechanization to reduce production costs and address labour shortages. At the same time, the use of advanced technologies—including Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), drones, remote sensing, GPS, satellite data and big data analytics—is being promoted across the agricultural sector.

These technologies will enable real-time crop health monitoring, early disease detection, precision fertilizer and irrigation management, and science-based production planning, he said.

The government is also introducing data-driven precision agriculture to improve productivity while increasing farmers' income. Efforts are underway to modernize the agricultural sector to ensure safe, nutritious and sustainable food production.

The Prime Minister noted that the Khamari App has already been introduced, allowing farmers to access crop recommendations, fertilizer requirements, weather forecasts and other advisory services.

He further said the government is promoting organic fertilizers, biofertilizers and environmentally friendly farming technologies to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. Climate-smart and climate-resilient agricultural practices are also being expanded to address the impacts of climate change.

He expressed hope that these initiatives would make Bangladesh's agriculture more productive, technology-driven, profitable and sustainable while strengthening national food security and economic growth.

//DBTech/DHE/MI//