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a farmer database, distributing the cards, and managing data collection.

According to the DAE, the card will provide farmers access to various services, including agricultural inputs at fair prices, government subsidies and incentives, agricultural machinery and irrigation services at affordable prices. Farmers will also have easier access to agricultural loans and insurance.

Farmers will also be able to sell produce at fair prices, receive training, and access weather and market information digitally, along with guidance on crop diseases and pest control.

Officials said the programme will cover small, marginal, medium, large, and landless farmers. Fish farmers, livestock rearers, and dairy farmers will also be eligible for the benefits of the Farmers’ Card.

Agriculture contributed 11.03 percent to Bangladesh’s GDP in fiscal year 2024-25, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

The government allocated Tk 17,000 crore in both FY2024-25 and FY2025-26 for subsidies on fertiliser, seeds, machinery, and other agricultural inputs.

For FY2025-26, it has proposed allocating Tk 27,224 crore for the agriculture sector, according to finance ministry documents.

Earlier, Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid told The Daily Star that the government hopes to launch the pre-pilot phase by Pahela Baishakh, with plans to expand the programme nationwide within the next four years.