Standard Chartered and Channel i will present the finale of the ninth iteration of the Standard Chartered-Channel i Agrow Award in April. The programme, which has been around since 2014, recognises and honours the trailblazers making a difference across our nation’s agriculture sector. So far, a total of 66 awardees have been recognised for their landmark achievements and efforts.
This year’s programme was launched in November of 2023. Since then, 415 pitches have been submitted. Following the close of the submission period, a specialised research agency was dispatched to analyse, assess, and shortlist submissions. The shortlisted entries have been rigorously evaluated by a distinguished Jury Board, consisting of local and international specialists, academics, and industry leaders.
The Jury Board for the ninth Agrow Award was chaired by Shykh Seraj, Director and Head of News, Channel i. Members of the Jury Board included: Dr. Atiur Rahman, former Governor, Bangladesh Bank; Dr. Shamsul Alam, Agricultural Economist and former State Minister of Planning of Bangladesh; Dr. Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar, Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC); Dr. Md. Shahjahan Kabir, Director General, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI); Zakia Naznin, Senior Technical Lead, Climate Change, WINROCK International; and Dr. Gautam Buddha Das, former Vice-Chancellor, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU).
Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bangladesh, said, “This is our ninth iteration of the Agrow Award, and the fifth time we are hosting in collaboration with Channel i. As one of the most climate vulnerable countries, it is predicted that our nation will feel the potential impacts of global warming, changing temperatures, and sea level rise through immense effects on crops, soils, weeds, and diseases. The Agrow Award programme highlights the incredible ways our farmers and agriculturalists are rising to the occasion and making a difference by centring sustainability and resilience. In a country where agriculture makes up every second livelihood, Standard Chartered is proud to recognise creative responses to climate change; methods that meet increasing food and nutrition demands; processes that supplement value chains; and changes that impact both homestead and commercial agricultural operations.”
Shykh Seraj, Director and Head of News, Channel i, added, “Due to the fourth industrial revolution, there has been a great change across the agricultural landscape all over the world. Agriculture is a highly important aspect of industry and commerce in terms of food and nutrition. Field agriculture is gradually taking the form of industrial agriculture now. Currently, agriculturalists and farmers are suffering a great deal due to climate change. So, it is necessary to connect these groups and individuals with modern technology. Every year, we try to draw attention to these issues through the Standard Chartered-Channel i Agrow Award.”
As a steadfast partner in Bangladesh's remarkable journey of growth and resilience, Standard Chartered upholds a legacy of commitment spanning over the years. Guided by an enduring dedication to progress, the Bank stands firmly in support of the country's vital agriculture sector. Standard Chartered has invested in communities, expanded services, created new opportunities for stakeholders, and fostered inclusive initiatives – all of which exemplify the Bank’s commitment to cultivating sustainable development in Bangladesh's agricultural landscape.
– Press release
