The cabinet has given approval to the draft of the Jatiya Krishi Niti 2018 with an objective of making the agriculture sector safe and profitable for farmers and attaining food and nutrition security for the people. The approval was given in the weekly meeting of the cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, local media reports said.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Md. Shafiul Alam said the new policy has been framed by upgrading the previous policy of 2013, setting up the prime goal of making the agriculture sector safe and profitable, and attaining food and nutrition security in the country.
The cabinet also has given approval in principle to the draft of the Bangladesh Shishu Academy Act.
The cabinet secretary said Jatiya Krishi Niti 2018 is an overarching and detailed one which included the issues not addressed in the previous policy.
The purpose of the policy is to increase the productivity of the crops, enhance income of the farmers, diversify of crops, produce nutritious and safe food, develop marketing system and ensure food safety through efficient use of profitable agriculture and natural resources and socioeconomic development.
Alam said the issues of nanotechnology, standard seed production and urban agricultural services, agro-machinery services, innovative extension technology, setting up of agriculture technology block, year-round production were included in the policy.
The policy also included a provision of taking agriculture extension programs for disaster prone regions and stressed farming on cooperative system.
