Call centres can disseminate info on farm product prices

Agriculture Adviser CS Karim yesterday said establishment of call centres at grass roots levels will help farmers get information on prices of their produces.
“It's a knowledge-based society. So, knowledge input is also needed for agricultural advancement,” said the adviser.
His remarks came after Anir Chowdhury, policy adviser of Access to Information (A2I) Programme at Chief Adviser's Office, mentioned lack of timely and comprehensive information is an obstacle to agricultural progress.
Anir said farmers remain confined to small communities.
There is also a limitation in sharing knowledge, he said suggesting that daily live TV programmes on agriculture related issues, radio phone-in programme and call centres for agricultural services can help farmers a lot in this regard.
“We have to provide technological assistance to farmers to face the future challenges” CS Karim told a meeting on vision for agriculture sector.
Karim, referring to cell phones, said call centre may help farmers get solution to any farming related problems instantly.
It will also help farmers get information on the market situation enabling them to fix the production target, he said, referring to record production of potato seen in the northern region of Bangladesh.
The adviser also called on the private TV channels to allocate special programmes for farmers. Such special programmes will help disseminate information and contribute to policy making, he said.