Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister’s Adviser and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin yesterday said that the government is giving the highest priority to agri-based entrepreneurship, product diversification, and research and innovation.
“The government also wants to ensure an environment where students can progress according to their merit and interests,” he said while speaking at an event titled “Agriculture is Culture, Agriculture is Prosperity”, held during the orientation program for fresher students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural Uni-versity (SAU) here.
If anyone wishes to dedicate themselves to research and innovation, the necessary infrastructure, materi-als and financial support will be provided, he said, adding that additionally, if anyone wants to become an entrepreneur in the agriculture sector or any other field, the government will provide the necessary administrative and financial assistance to make that initiative successful.
Mahdi Amin also expressed strong optimism that the teachers, researchers, and students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University would play a vital role in the government’s journey toward building a self-reliant Bangladesh in food production under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Referring to the tenure and continuity of the current government, the Prime Minister’s Adviser said, only five months have passed since the current elected government assumed office. That is, these students’ university life has begun during this government’s tenure. When they complete their graduation four years later, their academic journey will be fulfilled through the continuity of this government, he added.
He also informed that the government is working tirelessly to improve farmers’ livelihoods, deliver loans to them through the Farmer Card on easy and affordable terms, and make essential agricultural inputs like irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, and farm machinery more cost-effective and accessible.
The PMO spokesperson placed special emphasis on making Bangladesh more self-sufficient in food while simultaneously increasing the number of agricultural entrepreneurs among the youth.
Stressing the importance of building agricultural supply chains and value chains, Mahdi Amin said, “Although many agricultural products are now produced in sufficient quantities, their prices multiply several times over between the production areas and consumers, and a portion is wasted due to a lack of proper storage.”
To find a permanent solution to this problem, he said, storage, processing, and marketing at the local level must be strengthened. Additionally, he said establishing agri-based entrepreneurs and modern agri-cultural markets will help ensure fair prices for farm products and prevent wastage.
Mahdi Amin placed special emphasis on value addition and diversification to prevent wastage of agricul-tural produce, strengthen the supply system, and build export-oriented agri-based industries.
