Production of rice rises four times in 50 years

Bangladesh plans to introduce drones for crop damage detection, with 20 Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officers undergoing training. The seven-day programme, from April 17 to 25, includes four days of GIS and remote sensing training and a three-day field trip to Sylhet.

NCC Bank has signed an agreement with Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) to provide Tk 90 lakh in financial assistance for a research project on developing a "Prilled Urea Applicator". The goal of the project is to increase fertiliser efficiency and reduce urea fertiliser use in paddy lands by 30 percent.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) plans to expand its network to include 3.0 million farmers, providing them direct access to agro-related weather forecasts. Supported by the World Bank, the 'Bangladesh Agro-Meteorological Information System (BAMIS)' project, in collaboration with Practical Action, aims to enhance its capacity.

Nearly a hundred farmers in Nazirpur Upazila owned 50 acres of standing Boro paddy that was harmed by toxic gas from a brick kiln located nearby. Furthermore, a great deal of fruit-bearing trees in the upazila, particularly litchi trees, were impacted by the poisonous gas released from the brick kiln in Sachiya village, which is part of Malikhali union.

For the next three years, the government has set out Tk 385 billion for agricultural development, with the goal of seeing an average yearly increase of 10% in the industry by the fiscal year 2025–2026 (FY26). According to the 'Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26)', this investment highlights agriculture's critical role in securing food security and fostering equitable economic growth.

In eight upazilas in the district, 14,400 small and marginal farmers would receive free seeds and fertilizer as part of an agricultural incentive and rehabilitation program in order to stimulate farmer interest in Ufshi Aush farming during the current Kharif-1 season.