World Bank support benefits 1 mln Bangladeshi poor farmers

The Bangladeshi government has signed a 176.06 million U.S. dollars financing agreement with the World Bank to increase the agricultural productivity and access to markets of more than one million poor farmers, particularly women.

The Second National Agricultural Technology Program (NATP II) will increase and diversify the productivity of crops, livestock and fisheries, and enhance poor farmers' access to markets. The project will help enhance nutrition by ensuring food safety and more diversified food consumption, said the bank in a statement on Tuesday.

It said through emphasizing demand-driven research and modern agricultural technology, the project will help increase farm yields and adaptation to climate change.

"Building on the success of earlier World Bank support, this project will help achieve food security, improve resilience to climate change, and enhance nutrition through safer and more diversified food," said Qimiao Fan, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

The project will be implemented in 57 districts where it will benefit small-scale farmers through stronger linkages with research, agricultural extension services, farmer groups, and on-farm demonstrations to promote improved agricultural technologies. The project will focus on training for farmers and agricultural extension field staff to ensure knowledge sharing and technology transfer.

The agreement was signed by Mohammad Mejbahuddin, senior secretary of Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division, and Qimiao Fan on behalf of their respective sides. Endit