The USAID Agricultural Extension Support Activity works within the 12 FtF (Feed the Future) program districts in southwest and central Bangladesh in order to sustainably improve the food security and nutrition situation for vulnerable smallholder farmers, with a major emphasis on women. The project targets approximately 110,000 farmers and organizes them into 3,854 value chain based farmer producer groups (FPGs). These groups are trained on improved agronomic practices for better yields and are also linked with public and private extension service providers, input retailers and output market actors. The project is being implemented by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) in partnership with CARE Bangladesh and mPower.

The project organized a “Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on Economic Development and Cooperation” on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at the Khulna Club, Khulna to identify the challenges, scopes and solutions on crop, livestock and fisheries sub sectors in providing effective and demand-driven extension services to the farmers.

At the beginning of the program, the Deputy Chief of Party of the project, Mr. Shoeb Uddin Ahmed welcomed all to the event. The event was formally inaugurated by Mr. Md. Maruful Islam, UNO, Dacope, Khulna.

Mr. Md. Azizullah Al Mahmud, Agri-Business and Marketing Specialist, AESA-CARE Bangladesh presented the project brief and the keynote of the workshop at the event.

Dr. A. B. M. Zakir Hossain, Upazila Livestock Officer (ULO), Rupsha upazila, Khulna, Mr. G. M. Salim, Senior Upazila Fisheries Officer (SUFO), Terokhada upazila, Khulna, Mr. Robiul Islam, Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO), Rupsha upazila, Khulna were present at panelists at the event.

Kbd. Mr. M. M. Abdur Razzak, Regional Farm Broadcasting Officer, AIS Khulna, Ministry of Agriculture moderated the program.

Different stakeholders from different Agricultural sectors discussed about their challenges which they faced in their productions.

The event ended with the concluding remarks from Mr. Anowarul Haq, Director-ERPP, CARE Bangladesh.

The project farmers and other stakeholders presented in the event hoped that the project will extend its support and will work further with different public and private bodies to address the recommendations and findings derived from the workshop. They also wished that the project will keep working with the public and private extension agents so that the farmers are positively affected through the extension services.