Agri-extension workers' challenges
Time has arrived when Agricultural Extension should get its approaches re-designed to face the new challenges like climate change coupled with overpopulation and depletion of natural resources. Extension personnel need to function as a link between farmers and additional sources of information. The extension personnel need to be more devoted to their professional commitment in introducing the farmers to new agricultural technologies plus new crops under the scheme of diversification of agriculture. Expansion of private initiatives in the field of agriculture and agri-business is essential for attaining sustainable agricultural development. Recently some progressive farmers in our country contacted me for some information pertaining to palm cultivation and processing in Bangladesh. It is encouraging to learn that some farmers have started growing palm on their lands and the result is quite assuring. But they are facing problems with palm cultivation techniques and processing of the fruits to extract palm oil. In this regard, I contacted some district level officers of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) who informed me that they were aware of palm farmers' problems and were working on it. Well, palm may be a new crop in Bangladesh but it has the potential to enhance agricultural income among the interested farmers in the private sector. Under the present uncertain climate and economy, extension personnel must intensify their extension activities through providing necessary information to farmers and private agri-entrepreneurs round the clock by attending to office call or even through cell phones. Extension personnel, no matter of which level, should cordially attend to the queries of farmers and other people interested to start any type of agri-business. I would like to draw the kind attention of the DG, DAE to this matter.
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