Farmer cooperatives key to sustainable agriculture: Experts

Speakers at a national workshop on Saturday emphasised the need to strengthen and widely promote the cooperative model to advance sustainable agricultural production, expand agroecological farming, and enhance the capacities of smallholder farmers across Bangladesh. They noted that ensuring food security and environmental sustainability will depend significantly on expanding cooperative-based agricultural systems.

The COAST Foundation organised the national summary workshop at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, highlighting progress made over the past five years under cooperative-based agricultural development initiatives. Government officials, academics, development partners, and representatives of various farmer organisations attended the event.

Speakers pointed out that smallholders, who contribute 60-70% of the country's total food production, remain highly vulnerable to malnutrition and food insecurity, underscoring the need for stronger institutional support and expanded cooperative structures.

S M Sohrab Uddin, Director General of the Department of Agricultural Extension, stressed the importance of proper crop planning and careful crop selection to ensure sustainable production. Mariel Zimmermann, Program Officer for IFAD's Asia and Pacific Division, highlighted the need to document successful models for replication and wider adoption.

Md. Mohsin Ali, Executive Director of WAVE Foundation, called for greater use of organic fertilizers and agroecology-based production systems, while COAST Foundation Executive Director M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury urged a shift away from chemical-dependent agriculture to protect the environment and public health.