Experts have observed that the digitalisation of agriculture is urgent now to ensure Bangladesh's food security.
With a growing population and facing climate change challenges, digital agriculture can deliver Bangladesh the boost in productivity that is needed to secure food and nutrition security for decades to come, they told one of the main conclusions of a workshop here.
To discuss digital opportunities in agriculture, the event was arranged at the BARC auditorium jointly with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with Aspire to Innovate (a2i), reports BSS.
FAO Senior Economist Carlo Bravigave made a presentation on how digital technology is being used to improve food system sustainability, a FAO press release said.
Agriculture Secretary Md Sayedul Islam chaired the inaugural session, where Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, Project Director of a2i, Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Division, and Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, Executive Chairman, of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC).
The technical session was chaired by Md Abdus Salam, Member Director (Current Charge), Planning and Evaluation Division, BARC. NM Zeaul Alam, Senior Secretary, ICT Division, was present as the chief guest.
Digital innovations in agriculture, from mobile phones and internet connectivity for smallholder farmers to drones, and more advanced technology, have the potential to drive agricultural transformation in the country.
Speaking at the event, FAO Representative in Bangladesh Robert D. Simpson, said: "Digital transformation of agriculture is already here and it's here to stay. Bangladesh is just starting on the road to adopting digital technologies and both the Government and FAO are committed to doing all we can to encourage its uptake".
He said the digitalisation of agriculture will boost productivity, helping to meet the increasing demand for food as the population grows and to fulfill ambitions for increased food exports.
At the same time as rapid population growth, the availability of natural resources such as fresh water and productive arable land is becoming increasingly constrained. Urbanisation is also having important implications for patterns of food production and consumption.
Digital innovations and technologies are part of the solution. Drones, for example, can reduce production costs and maximise the efficient use of resources. Real-time AI-enabled digital solutions for data-driven decision-making can help policymakers and stakeholders, including farmers, to reduce risk and challenges.
Digitalisation has also opened up opportunities for agri-tech startups to develop innovative business models targeting smallholder farmers on account of cutting-edge digital technologies that reduce transaction and discovery costs.
Smallholder farmers connected with FAO's Digital Village Initiative can access various e-services from the government and private sector and can take advantage of digital literacy training.
There are 60 digital villages across Barishal, Rangpur, and Cox's Bazar. The centres also serve as information exchange hubs for farmers. They are operated by producer organisations which run 57 virtual call centres to aggregate produce for collective marketing and facilitation of bulk procurement of agricultural inputs.