Key global actors gathered at Wageningen University & Research and pledged to collaborate on making Bangladesh agriculture risk-proof, profitable and sustainable for small farmers as well as for entrepreneurs.
Collaborators resolved at the RoundTable on FUTURE OF BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE, convened by the Embassy. Amb. M Riaz Hamidullah moderated and shared context of the Round Table, especially how global AgriTech community may tap potential opportunities in Bangladesh.
Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), University of Saskatchewan partnered the event.
Presentations by leading experts focused on tackling the key challenges in Bangladesh:
rapidly increasing crop yield;
developing resilient supply chain;
scaling up farm mechanization;
meeting skill gaps through training.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and IFC – International Finance Corporation shared their perspectives as well. Agriculture Secretary reflected Government’s thinking on transform agriculture transformation. Vice-President, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Dr Baljit Singh, pledged to enhance university’s cooperation in agriculture research.
Minister, Dr Abdus Shahid, said that agriculture is a key priority in cooperation with Netherlands, particularly to introduce some of the transformative technologies, innovation and research capabilities to Bangladesh. He said, “I am a farmer turned politician. For seven decades in my life, I have seen how millions of our small and marginal farmers battled out challenges in our delta.”
At the end, Wageningen University, Saskatchewan University and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) launched a tripartite Arrangement for longer-term engagements to pilot impact-driven initiatives at the grassroots (Bangladesh).
To date, Netherlands conducted 7 Market Scans on agri-business potential in Bangladesh.
The Round Table comes as a result of continuing efforts of the Embassy. In 2022, the Embassy convened a first-ever RT, together with Wageningen University, on future opportunities in Bangladesh Agriculture, especially to empower small/ marginal farmers.