Experts Call for Precision Agriculture and Youth Engagement

Experts have stressed the urgency of adopting precision agriculture, modern technologies, and engaging youth in farming to ensure national food security and make safe, nutritious food accessible to all. Speakers highlighted these technological frameworks during a seminar organized on World Food Day 2026 at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) auditorium in Farmgate, Dhaka, on Friday (October 16).

Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, the seminar was attended by Agriculture Minister Amin Ur Rashid as the chief guest, with Agriculture Secretary Md. Selim Khan presiding over the event.

Speaking at the seminar, Agriculture Secretary Md. Selim Khan stated that the government's farmer-friendly policies and multi-faceted initiatives have yielded remarkable success in the agricultural sector. Ensuring nutritious food for every citizen Alongside food security remains the primary goal of the administration. He noted that policy priority is being assigned to precision agriculture to make farming profitable and modern. Maintaining food quality and safety from farm to fork is essential.

The Secretary added that plans have been drawn up to offer specialized training to young entrepreneurs on using drones, digital technology, and advanced machinery to make agriculture attractive to the new generation. The contributions of international organizations such as the FAO and IFAD were also commended.

Dr. Valentine Achancho, Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), stated that investing in smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs is critical to securing safe food for future generations. IFAD continues its efforts in rural poverty alleviation. He highlighted that the 'Smallholder Agricultural Competitiveness Project', executed in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, successfully reached nearly 280,000 smallholder farming families with quality seeds, farmer business schools, and solar-powered irrigation. He noted that the newly launched 'Green and Climate Project' is expanding across rural Bangladesh, emphasizing youth participation, joint public-private investments, and long-term institutional strengthening.

Presenting the keynote paper, expert Iftekharuddaula stated that sustainable agricultural transformation requires optimizing genetic, management, and spatial potentials. Leveraging advanced tools like genomics and bioinformatics can significantly boost productivity. He noted that agriculture must be enriched through precise machinery usage, early warning systems, modern market information, and crop zoning. He also stressed establishing a Food and Drug Authority as outlined in the electoral manifesto. Observing Bangladesh's shift from subsistence to commercial agriculture, he stated that climate-smart agriculture must be built through site and gene editing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning integration.

Former Director General of BARC, Shahidul Islam, stated that closing the gap between production and yields is vital to meeting diversified demands for rice, wheat, pulses, oil, and fruits. Proper use of balanced fertilizers is necessary to tackle climate-induced floods, droughts, and salinity. He noted that sustainable agricultural transformation can be achieved by protecting soil health, promoting organic fertilizers, and delivering modern technologies and efficient marketing channels directly to smallholders.

//DBTech/BNNS/SMP/MIST//