New Learning Farm in Bangladesh Hosts Training of Trainers
On 5–7 February, East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) Bangladesh held a field-based training on climate-smart agriculture for 25 extension officers from the Bangladesh Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE).
Part of the training took place at EWS-KT Bangladesh’s new learning farm in Faridpur. Established in October 2023, the learning farm is dedicated to empowering smallholder farmers in climate-resilient agricultural techniques for vegetable production.
The course was facilitated by plant pathologist Peter Kromann of Wageningen University & Research, with the support of the Smart Farming, Healthy Food project. Smart Farming, Healthy Food is co-funded by the SDGP Facility of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and EWS-KT and is implemented by EWS-KT Bangladesh and Solidaridad.
To accelerate and sustain farmers’ knowledge of climate-resilient modern agricultural methods and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), it is essential to build the capacity of agricultural trainers and advisors. Participants in the training-of-trainers event included DAE agricultural officers, agricultural extension officers, and sub-assistant plant protection officers from the coastal districts of Bhola, Noakhali, and Patuakhali in southern Bangladesh.
This in-person training followed online training modules completed by the DAE participants through Wageningen University & Research’s Talent LMS training platform over the last 2 months.
Additional Director of DAE (Faridpur District) Md. Harun-Or-Rashid, EWS-KT Bangladesh Knowledge Transfer Manager Md. Atikur Rahman, and Solidaridad Network Asia Senior Project Officer Md. Saifullah opened the training in Faridpur. The 3-day course then began, covering theoretical training in integrated pest management (IPM) and integrated crop management (ICM), fertilizer management, pest and disease management, pesticide application, pesticide toxicity and residual toxicity, pesticide type, and pesticide mode of action as part of Good Agricultural Practices.
EWS-KT Bangladesh Technical Manager Eamad Mustafa also discussed selecting more environmentally responsible pesticides by screening for bee toxicity through the Pesticide Selection Tool app developed in 2023 by EWS-KT and Wageningen University & Research.
The course then moved to practical training, with participants exploring the learning farm and gaining knowledge about various vegetable varieties, their characteristics, and production techniques. Covered techniques included trellis setup, mulching, raised bed gardening, cost-effective seedling production, and proper use of sticky traps for insect pests—all of which are showcased at the learning farm.
The participants also learned about integrated soil fertility management and engaged in scouting for pests and diseases in the field, with their discoveries discussed with trainer Peter Kromann.
Having completed the full course, these 25 DAE trainers will now begin sharing what they have learned with other extension officers and sub-assistant agriculture officers at DAE, preparing an additional 75 DAE staff members to train farmers in climate-smart vegetable production methods.
This was the first professional training held at the learning farm in Faridpur, and it highlighted the importance of the learning farm as a resource for farmers, officials, students, and researchers to learn about climate-smart agriculture and Good Agricultural Practices.
