Govt plans overseas training for farmers

The government plans to send farmers abroad for advanced training as part of efforts to improve their skills and introduce modern agricultural practices in Bangladesh.
The proposal was among several issues discussed at the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday.
The meeting also discussed strengthening fertiliser distribution, improving soil quality, reducing excessive use of pesticides and increasing domestic production of agricultural commodities to reduce import dependence.
Parliamentary committee Chairman Md Shahadat Hossain, MP, chaired the meeting, which Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid attended at the chairman’s invitation.
Committee members Md Shahidul Islam, Md Mostafizur Rahman, Md Rokon Uddin Babul, Md Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Mst Sabira Sultana, Md Golam Rasul and Md Abdul Bari Sardar also attended.
The agriculture secretary, heads of departments and agencies under the ministry, senior officials concerned and officials of the Parliament Secretariat were also present.
The agriculture minister said the country would move forward if the agricultural sector advanced and farmers were empowered.
He expressed optimism that Bangladesh could achieve self-sufficiency in the production of ginger, chilli, tomatoes, onions and other agricultural commodities by reducing import dependence. 
He also stressed the need to make agricultural production more export-oriented.
The meeting emphasised reducing conventional and excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides while increasing the use of organic fertilisers to promote sustainable agriculture.
The agriculture ministry informed the committee that more fertiliser had been supplied to farmers at the field level this year than in previous years.
The agriculture minister said steps had been taken to ensure greater transparency in the appointment of fertiliser dealers. As part of the initiative, the Fertiliser Distribution Policy 2026 has been issued.
Other issues discussed included establishing a flower research centre and a soil research centre at Gadkhali in Jashore, expanding cotton cultivation on unused land in both hilly and plain regions, and promoting maize, sweet potato and peanut cultivation on char lands.
The committee also discussed expanding the use of solar power in agriculture to reduce production costs and promote environmentally sustainable farming.
Ensuring fair prices for jute at the farmer level and increasing exports of jute and jute products were also discussed.
Committee Chairman Shahadat Hossain said the government’s success would depend to a significant extent on the performance of the Agriculture Ministry.
He expressed hope that the ministry would work with greater dynamism and called on all concerned to work together to establish a sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural system.