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Agriculture ministry Secretary Wahida Akhter on Wednesday said farmers in Bangladesh face various challenges, including the small size of their agricultural lands where large-scale technology is often not feasible.
Therefore, advancing mechanisation in agriculture requires a cooperative approach.
The Ministry of Agriculture's success is attributed to its institutions' adherence to their roles and boundaries, she said.
She made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the seminar titled “Role of mass media in implementation of smart agriculture,” organised by the Agricultural Information Service (AIS) at its auditorium in the city.
Wahida Akhter remarked that the ministry's effectiveness hinges on respecting institutional boundaries and promoting cooperative mechanisms.
She highlighted the importance of appreciation and constructive feedback for motivation and improvement in agricultural practices.
Akhter noted that 17 institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture are actively working, and journalists often gather information from these sources.
She stressed the need for a designated place for journalists to obtain accurate and timely agricultural information, which AIS can provide.
She pointed out that many ministries lack organisations like AIS, which facilitate the dissemination of agricultural information and ensure a journalist-friendly environment.
Golam Iftekhar Mahmud, president of the Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists Forum (BAJF), highlighted the challenges journalists face in accessing information about the country's agricultural advancements and new technologies from the Ministry of Agriculture.
He called for a centralised information provision system within the ministry to address this issue.
During the seminar, Puravi Matin, Head of Culture and Communication of the A2I Project, presented the keynote address.
The session included discussions by Rezaul Karim Siddique, anchor of Bangladesh Television's agricultural development programme ‘Maati O Manush', and Mir Masroor Zaman, news editor of Channel I.
The event was chaired by Dr Surjit Saha Roy, Director AIS, while Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension Badal Chandra Biswas, and BAJF General Secretary Shahanuare Shaid Shahin also spoke among others.
