Planned efforts should be made both by the government and NGOs to encourage farmers to go for value-added crops, they said.

The National Workshop on Farmers Marketing Group Approach: An Alternative Marketing Channel for High Value Crops Under NCDP (Northwest Crop Diversification Project) was held at the Human Resource Development Center of Proshika at Kaitta in Manikganj.

State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Ms Hua Du, Country Director of Asian Development Bank (ADB), attended the workshop, jointly organised by NCDP and Proshika.

Proshika President Dr Quazi Faruque Ahmed was in the chair.

Among others, AKM Enamul Haq Mian, Director, Department of Agriculture Extension; Qazi Alam, Director, Proshika and Mohammad Shahar Uddin, Project Director, NCDP also spoke at the inaugural session.

Agriculture expert Dr. Md. Saleh Ahmed presented the keynote paper.

Quoting from research findings, the state minister said that, finding agriculture a losing occupation, about 22 per cent of farmers in the country have switched over to other professions at a time when the nation has no alternative to boosting agriculture.

He urged the authorities to implement NCDP projects and assured all possible government assistance in building marketing infrastructure like construction of cooling centers and warehouses for marketing of agri-products.

Ms Hua Du said agriculture is the foundation of Bangladesh's economy. It should get top priority in government policy.

She said considering the practical aspects, ADB provides half of its assistance to agriculture sector to eradicate poverty. She assured more assistance to create infrastructure for marketing of agriculture products.

She stressed diversification of crops as lands are diminishing due to population growth.

Qazi Faruque Ahmed stressed the need for abolishing "middlemen" system from agriculture sector. A system should be developed so that farmers can sell their products directly to consumers.

The working session was followed by a lively question- answer session.

Over 160 people including farmers, DEA officials, NGO representatives from districts in Rajshahi division took part in the workshop.

The NCDP, designed to encourage farmers to go for value added crops and diversification, was launched in 2001 with 47.2 million dollars assistance from ADB. It now covers 61 upazilas in 16 districts in Rajshahi division.