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Collaboration with e-commerce sought to revive agro-economy

  • Staff Correspondent
  • 25 September, 2020 12:00 AM
  • Print news

Entrepreneurs have to integrate livestock products into e-commerce for early recovery of agriculture-driven economy amid corona pandemic, experts opined.

E-commerce or electronic commerce enables businesses to execute operations through digital connectivity to connect customers at tech-based platforms.

Addressing a webinar on Thursday, speakers also identified lack of access to finance for fishermen and livestock farmers as major hindrance to flourishing community economy backed by agriculture.

Bangla daily the Kaler Kantho organised virtual discussion focused on impact of pandemic on livestock sector. Development agency Care Bangladesh and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) were the partners of the event.

Department of Livestock Services (DLS) Director General Abdul Jabbar Sikder was the chief guest while Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haq Milan made address of welcome.

Discussants mentioned agriculture as ‘lifeline of Bangladesh economy’ which has been affected by corona pandemic while  livestock sector was badly hit. Sharing the experience, DSL Director General Abdul Jabbar Sikder mentioned that coordinated efforts from public-private entities facilitated market of the sacrificial animals during Eid amid corona pandemic.

Care Bangladesh country director Ramesh Singh shared experience of a development project titled SDC-Shomosti where the agency supported marginalized women farmers including dairy farmers.

Emphasising on improving market systems, SDC senior programme manager Sohel Ibn Ali suggested for standardisation of tariffs and import duty for the betterment of locally-produced milk and milk products.

Kaler Kantha Editor Imdadul Haq Milan said Bangladesh experiences good progress in fisheries and livestock over the last few years, but the sector need institutional and policy support for sustainng the growth. Two rural women farmers who got affected due to COVID-19 and recent flooding shared their experiences with the audience of the webinar.