Farmers’ children should continue farming: PM

FT ONLINE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on the children of farmers to be there in farming profession to utilise their knowledge in a greater way.

"There shouldn't be any such attitude that farmers' children need not continue their fathers' profession after having education... we're modernising our agriculture and providing equipment to the farmers," she said on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating digital 'Krishi Batayan' and 'Krishak Bondhu Phone Seba' to expand agricultural services across the country through a video conference from her official residence Ganabhaban.

She said the children of farmers can share the knowledge they have gathered from their parents for the development of the country's agriculture. "I think this (agriculture) is a sacred profession and all need to get involved in agriculture," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also mentioned that it could be ensured the food security of people through agricultural activities. "There's nothing could nobler than this work. So, we're using modern technologies in agricultural activities."

She urged all to work together for building a country free from hunger and poverty as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury spoke on the occasion, while Senior Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah made a power point presentation.

Director General (admin) of the PM’s Office and Project Director of the A2I Project Kabir Bin Anwar moderated the function.

Krishi Batayon is a central service portal. Some mobile apps have been developed for providing services from this portal or enriching its information for the necessity of services.

The mobile apps have been developed by taking into consideration the different necessities of the farmers and agriculture extension officials.

Any farmer included in the list of Krishi Batayon can make any question related to agriculture by making a call in no. 3331 from his/her phone.

The mobile phone-based agriculture extension service Krishak Bandhu Phone Seba has been developed for giving uninterrupted and reliable advices to the farmers and the department of agriculture extension workers.

The Access to Information (A2I) under the Prime Minister's Office has developed the services in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE).