Farming Smart Model Village (FSMV)

Duration	1 Jul 2024 – 31 December 2026
Location	Rangpur Sadar and Pirgachcha
Outreach	3,500
Partners	N/A

Context:

Bangladesh has outlined its visionary plan to be a developed country by 2041 and worded it as Smart Bangladesh. It will be built on 4 pillars: smart citizen, smart economy, smart governance and smart society. Under these pillars, one of the major initiatives is “Building Smart Cities and Smart Villages”. Building Smart Village is crucial as 68.34% of Bangladesh’s total population resides in rural areas (Population and Housing Census 2022) and the rural poverty rate (20.5%) is higher than the urban area (14.7%) according to the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) of BBS 2022. Therefore, the village should be the focal point of the country’s growth, starting with the creation of a few “Model Villages” that can be gradually replicated. 

The government’s priority is to create an enabling environment and build infrastructure connected with digital technologies. This will empower citizens and transform the village to feel more like a town. In addition, enabling essential and modern farming services, efficiently utilizing natural resources, knowledge transfer, and integrating with the market system are critical for unleashing the economic potential of villages. Furthermore, ensuring access to livelihood, health, and education facilities is essential for creating a truly modern village. The holistic process is not stand-alone government participation rather the inclusion of multiple sectors of public and private ownership is instrumental. Research indicates that the Smart Village concept can contribute significantly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and Vision 2041 of Bangladesh (Marina Debnath, 2022). It can also create employment opportunities, reduce rural-to-urban migration, enhance rural investment facilities, increase farm productivity, and bolster the country’s food security. 

We propose the concept of Farming Smart Model Villages, which will serve as a “Center of Excellence,” connecting with various services and aligning with the different pillars of model villages and a Smart Bangladesh. This concept will adopt the government’s definition of a Smart Village: a rural community where local citizens can connect with the global market through digital technologies and operate innovation platforms. In addition to this, the Smart Village will significantly contribute to improving various service delivery systems of both public and private sectors, developing the food supply system, and promoting renewable energy sources.

Objectives:

This project aims to connect the missing dots, equipped with the tools and technologies, and demonstrate the actionable changes that can turn a traditional village into a Farming Smart Model Village. The specific objectives of this project are:

• To design the tools and process to build a Farming Smart Model Village (FSMV) to be replicable and scalable.
• To demonstrate the essential components of an FSMV that can be evident to others. 
• To correlate and collaborate among the pillars of FSMV for its growth and sustainability. 
• To advocate the contribution of FSMV to reach SDG 2030 and Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041.

Key Activities:

• Conduct the baseline study 
• Develop the Constitution or ByLaw for CoE and registration process and establish CoE. 
• Design toolbox for Farming Smart Model Village 
• Develop templates and guidelines for implementation of different components of FSMV 
• Collaboration with government, private and development initiatives ensuring complementary facilities for the villages 
• Community engagement  

Achievements (so far): 

• 3,500 beneficiaries were reached.  
• 02 Centre of Excellence were established. 
• 62 employments generated like basic computer skill and digital marketing training for youth, vermicompost production and sell, agri-machinery rental service, nursery entrepreneur.  
• 37 entrepreneurs developed e.g. Farmers Hubs, Combined harvester, Mini tiller, tractor, Digital center uddokta, Hybrid Solar, Natural cold store, vermicompost. Moreover, 25 youth have been receiving computer skill and digital marketing training which we assume would be the future entrepreneur.  
• 10 technologies were provided e.g. machineries, irrigation, demonstrations like safe food, flood and drought tolerant rice, AWD pipe distribution, vermicompost, natural cold store, soilless seedling nursery, crop insurance etc. 
• Collaborated with government stakeholders-DAE, Department of Social Welfare, Department of Youth Development, private sector-like Plantenagro, Krishi Bazar and GDIC, and 10 Local Buyers to enhance support and sustainability. 
• 02 nutrition clubs were formed and established 02 nutrition gardens in two schools.