The cabinet division has formed a high-powered committee to facilitate the selection of Agricultural Important Persons (AIPs) for award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the country's agricultural sector.
The ten-member committee, led by the cabinet secretary, would recommend that the prime minister award the status to the selected persons after scrutinizing a list of the final selection committee of the agriculture ministry.
Other members of the committee are: The principal secretary to the PM and secretaries of commerce, public administration, agriculture, food, health and industries ministries, internal resources division and finance division.
The cabinet division issued a gazette in this regard on June 23, 2021.
Talking to the FE on Saturday, joint secretary of the agriculture ministry Tanmaya Das said they have already selected 13 persons for the status and sent a final list to the cabinet division.
The persons have been selected in five categories including innovative work, invention of new varieties, earning of foreign currencies, and mechanization of agricultural farming and diversification of marketing new products.
The agricultural ministry has invited applications, for the first time in history, from the persons involved with the agricultural activities across the country.
Officials said the country has achieved a tremendous success in some areas of agriculture including farming mechanization. Currently, machines plough 98 per cent of the country's farmland.
Such recognition would encourage more people to involve in agricultural innovations and product diversification.
According to USAID, Bangladesh is one of the most mechanised countries in Asia when it comes to land preparation.
The agriculture ministry on June 23, 2021formed three more committees to implement "Best Agriculture Practices in Bangladesh-2020' policy.
A 19-member technical committee would prepare technical directives and necessary instructions for best agriculture practices. It will give necessary explanation of different sections of the policy, determine certification benchmark, resolve disputes, obtain certification and prepare logo of best agricultural practices, resolve ambiguities created by the certification body and explain technical aspects.
A 13-member certification committee would amend and preserve the certification process as per necessity, prepare the guidelines to facilitate applicants for certification, frame, preserve and reform policy on the use of logo containing best agricultural practice mark, resolve any of the certification related issues, scrutinize and finally approve applications for certification submitted by public and private entities.
A 25-member steering committee, comprising public and private sector stakeholders, would monitor the overall developments in implementation of the policy and give final approval to other committees' recommendations.
