Farmer Card trial phase to be launched in Tangail on 14 April

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will officially launch the pre-pilot phase of the Farmer Card project in Tangail Sadar Upazila on 14 April, which marks the Bangla New Year’s Day.

Under the pre-pilot scheme, 22,000 farmers will get the cards in 11 upazilas, it was decided at a meeting held in the Secretariat on Tuesday, confirmed PM’s Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon.

Pre-piloting involves a small-scale initial trial for launching the pilot phase, which in turn sets the stage for the final and full-scale rollout of a project.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting with the Farmer Card Preparation Cell at his office in the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat on Tuesday (17 March) afternoon.

The meeting emphasized the creation of a comprehensive database for farmers, direct delivery of subsidies and incentives and simplification of agricultural services through digital systems.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock and Food Amin-ur-Rashid Yasin; Minister of State Sultan Salahuddin Tuku; Advisor on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; Minister of State for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam and Posts, Telecommunication and Information Technology and Science and Technology Advisor Rehan Asif Asad, along with senior officials of the concerned ministries.

The proposed farmer card will not only ensure the identity of the country's farmers, but also make it possible to provide various government assistance including agricultural subsidies, loan facilities, seed and fertilizer distribution in a more transparent and effective manner. In addition, the use of modern technology in storing and managing farmers' information through digital means was also discussed.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister called on the concerned ministries to work in a coordinated manner and directed to make the overall implementation and progress of the farmer card distribution visible on April 14.