Japan supports agricultural mechanization in rural Bangladesh

DHAKA, Nov. 12 (NsNewsWire) — Japan has lent its support to farmers in a rural Bangladesh district for agricultural mechanization.
The inaugural ceremony of the installation of agricultural machinery under a project for the poor and landless farmers of Uzirpur sub-district in Bangladesh’s Barisal district was held on Nov. 12, said a statement of Japanese embassy in Dhaka.
According to the statement, the project was implemented by the NGO- Voluntary Organization for Social Development (VOSD), with the support of the Government of Japan through its Grant Assistance for Grass -roots Human Security Projects (GGHSP).
Takahiro Komatsu, Second Secretary for Economic and Development Cooperation Section of the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest on behalf of the Government of Japan to grrace the inauguration.
Md. Shahidul Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Barisal District , Mr. Md. Moshiur Rahman, Chairman of Sholak Union Parishad, VOSD Officials , and local farmers also attended the inaugural ceremony.
Mr. Komatsu stated in his speech that , “Agricultural development is the base for robust economic development .
Thus, availabili ty of agricultural equipment to all farmers is a must. Access to the GGHSP funded agricultural machineries will add tremendous value to the agricultural , and in turn, economic development of the poor and landless farmers of the region.”
VOSD received US$ 102,848 from the Government of Japan through GGHSP in 2012 to procure and install agricultural machineries for poor and landless farmers of Uzirpur Upazilla in Barisal .
The aim of this project is to promote the socio-economic and production status of the poor farmers of the region through providing agricultural production facil ities , transport facilities, marketing facili ties, water supply facil it ies, wastage control facil ities and insecticide control facilities by installing power til lers, irrigation machines, thresher machines, spray machine and pick-up van. Poor and landless farmers will get access to these facilities with a minimum rental cost in order to facilitate their agricultural production.
The Government of Japan funded this project to establish a self-sustainable community-based agricultural development program for service delivery to the poor and landless farmers of the remote areas .
The Grant Assistance for Grass -roots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) began its operation in Bangladesh in 1989. Its primary objective is to support various development projects with a view to enhance human security at the grass -roots level .
There is an increasing need for cooperation by the entire international community to realize a peaceful and affluent soci ety in which everybody can live their individual lives in a humane manner. A total number of 183 projects have been funded through GGHSP amounting approximately US$ 14 million till date in Bangladesh.