Hatiya (Noakhali) Correspondent 

A 'Partner Congress' for farmers was held in the coastal island upazila Hatiya. 

The day-long congress, organized with the participation of local farmers on Tuesday discussed in detail the real problems, possibilities and solutions in the agricultural sector.

 The congress was held at the Hatia Dwip College auditorium.

Organized by the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture, the congress was presided over by Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Bashed Sabuj. Upazila Executive Officer Md. Alauddin was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony. Upazila Fisheries Officer Fahad Hasan, Upazila Social Service Officer Kazi Md. Imran Hossain, senior journalist Ikhtiar Hossain Tuhin, Hatia Press Club President G. M. Ibrahim and local media workers were present as special guests.

District Training Officer Md. Shahidul Islam spoke at the event via video conference. He said, "Farmers are the main driving force of our food security. Sustainable development of agriculture is possible if they are provided with the necessary training, modern technology and fair rights."

The speakers said that PFS farmers addressed non-PFS farmers. The speakers emphasized on agricultural entrepreneurship, nutrition, safe crop production, and adaptation of crop production in adverse environments.

At the congress, male and female farmers from different unions shared their real-life experiences including the impact of climate change, shortage of agricultural inputs, salinity of land, lack of modern technology, lack of training, and problems in marketing. The farmers said that crop production is often severely affected due to natural disasters and climate change.

The organizing organization said that the main goal of this congress is to convey the experiences, problems and opinions of farmers directly to policymakers. The day-long program included group discussions in which the farmers' recommendations were recorded, which will later be sent to the relevant department.