The government has initially selected 22,065 farmers for the distribution of “Farmers Cards,” with the programme set to be launched on Pahela Baishakh, Agriculture Minister Amin-ur Rashid Yasin announced on Sunday.
The formal inauguration will take place at Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail, the minister said at a press briefing held at the Secretariat.
The initiative will begin on a pre-pilot basis across 11 blocks in 11 upazilas spanning 10 districts in all eight divisions. Distribution of the cards will start simultaneously in most selected areas on the launch day, while rollout in Aranyapur block of Adarsha Sadar upazila in Cumilla will commence on April 17.
At the outset of the programme, tributes were paid to former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman.
According to the minister, data of 22,065 farmers had been compiled as of April 11. Among them, 2,246 are landless, 9,458 marginal, 8,967 small, 1,303 medium, and 91 large farmers. Nearly 93.7 percent of the selected beneficiaries fall into the landless, marginal and small categories.
Under the pre-pilot phase, each farmer will receive Tk 2,500 in annual cash assistance through the card. The Farmers Card will function like a debit card, with accounts opened in beneficiaries’ names through Sonali Bank.
The card will allow farmers to purchase fertiliser, seeds, fish feed and livestock feed, and access services such as agricultural loans, subsidies, weather updates, market prices, training, pest management advice and agricultural insurance.
If the pre-pilot phase proves successful, the government plans to launch a pilot in 15 upazilas by August, with a broader nationwide rollout and the development of an integrated farmer database expected within the next four years, the minister added.