'Online Biz Bank' becomes a blessing for marginal farmers

A revolutionary change is taking place in the agriculture sector of Bangladesh agriculture-based virtual platform 'Online Biz (seed) Bank'.

Three years ago, Tariq Mahmudul Islam, an official of Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), launched the ‘Online Seed Bank, a group page on Facebook, after becoming the director of the Integrated Farm Mechanisation Project under the DAE.

This Facebook page is paving the way for a new era for agriculture by providing the platform as a means of communication between farmers and investors of the agriculture sector. So far, more than 97,000 farmers and investors have become members of the FB group.

The FB group page of Online Biz Bank is acting as a virtual marketplace for selling seeds, linking farmers and small investors.

Mahmudul Islam said, “This is the age of globalization. The country’s farmers, small investors should not be excluded from the benefits of virtual platforms. They should not be left behind. The success of the Facebook page attests to the power of community knowledge and generosity in the farming community.”

Rakibul Hasan Siam from Mymensingh is a member of this group. He shared a picture of the seeds he sells on the platform. Anami Prakash Mandal provides honeydew seeds and watermelon seeds to the farmers. The farmers can get the seeds and enjoy the option of paying later after the harvest.

The platform provides an opportunity to exchange information and resources. A has become a blessing for the farmers to overcome geographical limitations. Enamul Haque, another member of the FB group, prepares farmers, interested in purchasing hybrid seeds for Boro season, through posts on the page that are full of various necessary information needed for its cultivation.

Joha Sheikh Lipton of Rajshahi supplies more than 400 Darjeeling orange trees. His post received a lot of responses. Many entrepreneurs have expressed interest and bought the trees.

Online Seed Bank's success is not only due to Mahmudul's visionary zeal, but also the cooperation of its rich community

Mahmudul envisages a future where the online seed bank will operate under a non-profit organization established for all farmers in Bangladesh.

Mahmudul feels that the online platform will lead the seed business in a few years. This platform has already connected around one lakh farmers and investors, acting as a catalyst for changing the landscape of Bangladesh’s agriculture sector.

As the online seed bank evolves, it paves the way for digitization of the agriculture sector, redefining the future of agriculture in Bangladesh.