Message from Adviser for Agriculture

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has ushered in a new era of human civilization. With rapid advancement taking place all around the globe we are not lagging far behind. Bangladesh is right on the threshold of information super highway and it is poised to reach the boons of ICT to the doorsteps of common people. Government has already approved ICT policy and taken up a number of projects for the development of ICT and e-governance.

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) has undertaken a number of steps for ICT and information system development. It has set up an MIS Cell with IT trained personnel and formed a Steering Committee to look after ICT and information system development in MOA and its agencies.

Meanwhile, MOA has made tangible progress in ICT and information systems development by setting up Local Area Network (LAN) with 64/192 kbps dedicated internet connectivity for all the computers in its premises. It has developed Intranet MIS with 18 integrated modules to cater to information needs of the officers in MOA and agencies. It has also hoisted a website for providing useful information and services to general public. Moreover, it is conducting IT training courses for capacity building of MOA personnel in using ICT and information systems.

The MOA agencies are also going ahead with ICT and information system development. They have a good number of IT trained personnel and have plans to train more. Some organizations (i.e., BARC, DAM, BMDA, BARI and SRDI) have LAN and others have plans to set it up. 16 MOA agencies have websites which can also be browsed through MOA website. All these websites are providing useful information for the benefit of the researchers, planners, decision makers, traders, importers, farmers and general public.

The ICT and information systems developed in MOA and its agencies would not have been possible without contribution from various agencies. The Ministry would like to thank DANIDA for providing significant support in ICT and information systems development in MOA through the Policy and Planning Support Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture. We call upon all to visit MOA website and invite their valuable suggestions for further enrichment of it.

Dr Chowdhury Sajjadul Karim
Adviser, Ministry of Agriculture
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

Dr C.S. Karim
Adviser, Ministry of Agriculture
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. He took over the charge of this Ministry on 18th January 2007.

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