Standard Chartered Bank and Channel i have awarded nine individuals and two organisations this year for their outstanding contributions to the agriculture sector of Bangladesh.
The prize-giving ceremony for the ninth season of the Standard Chartered 鈥� Channel i Agro Award was held in Dhaka on Friday, where agriculture minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque was chief guest, according to a press release on Saturday.
The winners were recognised for their contributions toward achieving climate adaptation goals, building sustainable networks, ensuring food and nutrition security for millions, supplementing value chains, and driving tangible change across homestead and commercial agricultural operations and research initiatives.
Md Abul Kalam Azad was recognised as the male farmer of the year, while Tania Parvin was awarded in the female category.
Md Siddik Hosen and Sabitri Biswas were recognised as the most resilient farmers of the year, and Sanwar Hossain received the hero for change award.
Sahanwar Saeed Shahin was awarded in the best journalist (agriculture) category, Mrinmoy Guha Neogi was recognised as climate adaptation solution of the year, and Mohammad Al-Mamun was awarded a jury special award.
Besides, iFarmer was awarded in the best agricultural organisation in support and execution while PRAN dairy as the best exporter.
MA Sattar Mandal, emeritus professor at Bangladesh Agricultural University, won the award in the lifetime achievement category.
Addressing the event, SCB chief executive officer Naser Ezaz Bijoy said that as climate change was anticipated to wipe out 30 per cent of food production by 2050, the challenges, faced by farmers and other actors in the agriculture sector, were only going to intensify.
鈥楾o reduce these challenges and create an atmosphere that is conducive to development and prosperity, we must collectively reimagine the roles and impacts of urbanisation, rising temperatures, water scarcity, salinity, farming methods, and animal-rearing, in tandem rather than individually,鈥� he said.
Channel i director and head of news Shykh Seraj, however, said that farmers were the most aware of the severe impacts of climate change.
鈥業 have learned after talking to farmers from around the world, what a challenge it [climate change] is to deal with. In the developed world, farmers are supported by the government, advanced technology, research, planning, and management. In that context, our farmers must face more challenges,鈥� he added.
Channel i managing director Faridur Reza Sagar also spoke at the award giving ceremony.
