Around 86,430 farmers and 7,350 others are being imparted agriculture technology training aimed at successful expansion of modern tech in the agro-sector of the division.
In this regard, 93,780 people, including 86,430 farmers are being brought under a two-day need-based training course in different batches as 25,820 demonstrations of new technologies and crop varieties and plants are being made.
The promotional activities are being done in the division under a project titled: “Agriculture Development Project of Rajshahi Division through Expansion of Modern Technology” being implemented for extensive agricultural production.
“We are arranging 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, while talking to 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 are being distributed among farmers’ organisations 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, 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 been implementing 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 this year end, the project will contribute a lot towards increasing cropping intensity to 242 percent from 237 percent through expansion of modern agriculture technologies.
Besides, the project is intended to enhance 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.
