The USAID Agricultural Extension Support Activity (Ag Extension Project) has organized its first Project Senior Management Team (PSMT) meeting in year four during December 09-10, 2015 at Dhaka.
The two-day meeting discussed the general issues of project on the first day while the second day was dedicated to various technical issues.
The project focal point, Mr. Md. Zakir Hossain, Deputy Director (Project Implementation & Evaluation), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Ministry of Agriculture, was present in the meeting and formally received the 4th year ‘Annual Work Plan’.
The focal point expressed his satisfaction for collaborative efforts of the project with DAE and made remarks that both the government and non-government organizations are working for the wellbeing of the farmers so all of us need to see how we can coordinate to maximize the farmers’ benefit. He also mentioned in his speech that he has visited the project working areas and the established Extension centers and anticipates that the Director General (DG), DAE will also visit the project sites in near future.
Dr. K. S. Huda, Director, Program, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, and Mr. Anowarul Haq, Director, CARE Bangladesh were present in the meeting and launched the project website (www.aesabd.org). Mr. Haq said that it is easy to develop a website but would be challenging to keep it updated. He requested the project staff to maintain the project’s site with regular and updated event news. Dr. Huda advised to keep the website as a knowledge bank where all the stakeholders including the government can use its technical information.
The regions along with other technical departments of the project presented the project progress. Mr. Bidyuth K. Mahalder, Chief of Party, along with the DCOP-Program, DCOP-Operations, Regional Managers, District Managers and other senior staff from the project head office and field offices were also present in the meeting.