Photo : BSS

By S M Zahid Hossain

KHULNA, July 4, 2025 (BSS) - The ongoing PARTNER Congress, being held at all upazilas of Khulna division and beyond, is generating enthusiasm among farmers and new agro-entrepreneurs by promoting good agricultural practices and encouraging innovation in farming.

Organized by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the congress is part of the "Programme on Agricultural and Rural Transformation for Nutrition, Entrepreneurship and Resilience in Bangladesh (PARTNER)," and involves professionals from various sectors.

The five-year PARTNER project, launched in June 2023, aims to promote sustainable agricultural mechanization and rural transformation through innovation and modern technologies. The project has a budget of Taka 1,900.19 crore, with the Government of Bangladesh contributing Taka 1,121.19 crore and the European Union (EU) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) jointly contributing Taka 757.99 crore.

BARI, BINA, BRRI, BJRI, BSRI, SCA, BADC, BARC, BSMRAU, and other NARS institutions, in cooperation with IRRI, CIMMYT, IFDC, ACIAR, and FAO, are implementing the project. 

Farmers in coastal areas are learning about chemical-free crop production, optimal land use, and triple-cropping in saline-prone regions.

Sheikh Mahtab Uddin, a farmer from Dumuria upazila, told BSS that the congress taught him improved agricultural practices and inspired him to bring more fallow land under cultivation.

"Most of our land is saline. The congress helped us understand how to make the best use of it, and I'm seeing increased production as a result," he said.

Md Monirul Islam, a farmer from Koyra upazila, said the project has created opportunities for many unemployed youths to grow vegetables, fruits, and fish, including shrimp, becoming self-reliant.

During a visit to the Dumuria Upazila Auditorium on July 3, this reporter observed a large gathering of government officials, local representatives, journalists, teachers, political leaders, NGO workers, and farmers. 

Md Rafiqul Islam, Additional Director of DAE in Khulna, told BSS that under the PARTNER project, three lakh hectares of farmland will be brought under good agricultural practices in five years. Two lakh hectares of paddy land will be used for modern high-yield varieties, and another two lakh hectares for other grains. 

Smart agricultural cards will be distributed to 2.87 crore farmers, and six labs will be set up to test soil, water, and air health. A nationwide agricultural database will also be developed.

He said the project also includes field schools, modern irrigation systems, quality information services, and farmer service centers to improve agricultural output and farmer livelihoods.

Prof Dr Monirul Islam of Khulna University's Agrotechnology Discipline said, "This is a timely initiative to promote safe and sustainable food production. We're forming farmer-level teams and providing training to ensure food security."