Jahangirnagar University:Practical, bottom-up, and integrated planning based on regional diversity is crucial for sustainable agricultural development, according to Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Nurul Islam.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Professor Islam emphasized the importance of addressing actual needs at the field level rather than using a top-down approach. He made these comments while inaugurating a 10-day training workshop titled "Building a Complete Agricultural Block Model Using GIS and Remote Sensing" at the university's Department of Geography and Environment.
The training program is a collaboration between the Department of Geography and Environment and the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture. It involves 36 BCS agriculture officers participating in its second batch.
Professor Islam highlighted the significant variations in soil, water, and climate across different regions of the country, such as coastal areas, the northern region, and central areas. He suggested that agricultural management should be tailored according to these regional characteristics rather than applying a uniform model.
He also noted that the Department of Geography and Environment at JU is a leader in GIS learning and training. He expressed hope that the officials attending the workshop would share their newly acquired knowledge with farmers, enabling them to make informed decisions on crop production by considering land mapping, soil quality, weather conditions, and the environment.
The inaugural session was presided over by Professor Dr Mohammad Nazrul Islam, chairman of the Department of Geography and Environment. Other notable speakers included JU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr Md Shamsul Alam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Mohammad Nazrul Islam, acting Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Professor Dr Khandaker Mohammad Shariful Huda, and Project Director of the training workshop Khandaker Md Iftikhar Rashed from the Ministry of Agriculture. Professor Dr Obaidur Rahman Siddiqui moderated the session, and Md Mahfuzur Rahman, the acting director of the workshop, was also present.