A three-day national farm machinery fair-2018 began here today for the first time with a view to making the agriculture machineries popular among the people.
The main theme of the fair is 'using of agriculture machineries will save money, labor and time.'
Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the fair at Krishibid Institute Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium here this morning as the chief guest.
Earlier, at a seminar on the occasion, the LGRD minister said around 68 per cent people of the country is involved in agriculture sector and the sector is the backbone of any country's development.
Terming the fair as time-befitting, he said using of modern agriculture machineries and fertilizer is essential for sustainable food security.
He added "Our arable land is decreasing with a range between 0 .5 to 1 per cent annually. So, the agriculture sector will have to be mechanized with modern technology to fulfill the food and nutrition demand of the increasing people in the country."
After the First World War, the developed countries across the world had shifted their labour intensive agriculture to mechanization system which had reduced two-third of their production cost and increased their production almost double, he went on.
With Additional Secretary Mohammad Nazmul Hossain in the chair, the seminar was also addressed by Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury as the special guest.
Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Mohammad Mohsin gave the welcome addresses while Professor Dr M Manjurul Alam of Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) presented the keynote paper on agriculture mechanization.
The LGRD minister, however, told the seminar that the country has already achieved the status of role model in food production under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and using of modern and developed agri technology can help to revitalize the rural economy.
Mosharraf said huge arable land of the country remained fallow due to labour intensive agriculture system. So mechanization system in agriculture sector can bring a significant change in agri production.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury urged the researcher to improve the reaper machine, used for harvesting rice and wheat as the existing reaper machine is suitable to cut the standing crop but it [reaper] is not suitable for lying crops.
According to the agriculture mechanization strategy policy, the present government is providing 70 per cent subsidy for extending the use of farm machineries, said the minister.
Different kinds of agriculture machineries, including mini combined harvester, reaper, rice trans-planter, seeder, bed-planter, are being displayed, by 21 public and private organizations, at the fair.
The fair will remain open for the people from 9am to 9pm every day.
Source: BSS