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Farmers firm on more output if inputs ensured

Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh could turn into a food, surplus country provided the government ensures supply of quality seeds, fertiliser, diesel and electricity to fanners iri time.
And for this, the government has to disseminate validated agricultural information to farmers and make sure that those are updated with latest technologies to get the best harvest and protect crops from any diseases.
These were the eloquent views of successful farmers at a workshop in the capital yesterday while prices of food grains are soaring in Bangladesh and as well as other parts of the world.
In response to the farmers' views, Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim, who was the chief guest at the workshop, asked officials and others concerned to dense communication methods on the basis of farmers’ needs and latest tech-nologies giving the highest priority to farming.
The workshop styled "Informa-t i o n and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled content development for agricultural information" was jointly organised by the Directorate of Agriculture Extension, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (Bare), Agriculture Information Services, Grameen Phone.Win Incorporate and Katalyst.
More than 20 farmers were awarded crest at the workshop for their successes in agriculture. Agriculturists, NGO representatives and government officials attended the workshop held at Bare auditorium.
The farmers awarded include Abul Bashar, Selina Akter, Monsur Ahmed, Farid Hossain, Pinjira Begum, Ashraful Alam, Shajahan Badsha, Abul Kalam Azad. Ayub Hossain, Sultan Mahmud. Luxman Chandra Mandal, Aminul Islam,
Mayezuddin, I latem Ali, Zabed Ali, Maj (retd) Sulaiman, Beauty Begum, Atiqur Rahman, Rafiqul Islam and Zahidur Rahman.
"We can produce food more than what we (Bangladesh) need and can even export it if we get quality seeds, fertiliser, electricity, diesel and other agricultural inputs at reasonable prices and in right time," said Shajahan Badsha.
Expressing concern over high price of fertiliser, he suggested setting up natural fertiliser plants at upazila level to reduce dependence on import, and framing policies to ensure that farmers get due prices of their crops.
"We (farmers) get technologies but very late. Measures should be taken so that farmers get modern technologies as soon as those are invented,” Shajahan said.
Agriculture Technology Implementation Centre President Ayub Hossain said, “Farmers and agriculturists should sit together to find out how to increase crop productivity."
Research findings do not reach farmers in many cases, he said. Politicians should act in their respective areas to increase farmers' knowledge of modern technologies, headded.
Major (retd) Solairnan, a successful farmer from Comilla, said vast areas in Sylhet, Fem and elsewhere in the country are not cultivated. The government should make laws so that no cultivable land in the country remains unused.
Stressing reforms in marketing system of agricultural products to ensure just prices for the producers, Solairnan said. Unscrupulous businessmen cheat farmers by selling poor quality seeds and even adulterated fertiliser. Even, subsidy money meant for farmers at times goes to businessmen, he alleged.
He proposed starting a terrestrial television channel fully dedicated to farming and farmers to expand and improve farmers' knowledge.
Dr CS Karim said there should be more coordination among efforts of the government, NGOs and businesses on dissemination of agricultural knowledge and information to farmers.
The adviser asked the businesses to share farmers' risks saying, "It cannot go that you will sell seeds to farmers at higher prices but you will not share the risks involved. This is unethical, absolutely unethical."
While selling seeds, the businesses must tell farmers the quantity of crops they will get using the seeds, hesaid.
He urged field level agriculture officials to give priority to farmers' needs and national interests, and play their due role in creating awareness among farmers.
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies Research Director Dr M Asaduzzaman proposed formation of a working group comprising agriculturists, service providers, farmers and information technologists to work out a modality to take agricultural information to farmers.
Recent trends suggest there is no alternative to increasing domestic production to check price hikesof food grains, he noted.