Asian Development Bank (ADB) will enhance cooperation in order to strengthen efficiency in irrigation and agricultural researches, aiming to develop the farm sector of the country.
ADB Country Director in Bangladesh Edimon Ginting came with this assurance while attending a meeting with Agriculture Minister at the secretariat here this morning.
"The ADB will provide cooperation in agriculture sector of Bangladesh, particularly in agriculture development at coastal zone, Chattogram Hill Tracts and Haor region," said Edimon Ginting.
Apart from this, ADB will also provide cooperation for development of farm commodity export, irrigation efficiency and strengthening farm research, he told the meeting.
As part of the cooperation, $50 million project in agriculture sector aided by the ADB is now remaining at the final stage, said a press release. During the meeting, the agriculture minister also has sought financial and technological support to the Philippines based regional development Bank for setting up a modern packing house and modern testing laboratory on two acres of land at Purbachal.
"Although Bangladesh is self-sufficient in cereal food productions...but we are in lag behind in commodity export and processing as the country has more surplus crops like Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Potato and Vegetables," said the agriculture minister. "We need cooperation from the ADB for developing our export and processing system of the farm commodities," he added.
Additional secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture M Ruhul Amin Talukder, Deputy Secretary Farhana Irish, Deputy Country Director of ADB Ziangbo Ning ministry officials, among others, attended the meeting.