I am Manik Chandra Roy from Gabtoli, Bogura, Bangladesh. I am a young farmer working with other young farmers in our community while also pursuing my education.
COVID-19 left a devastating impact on the agricultural sector in Bangladesh and in other countries which hampers the production and marketing of the desired crops until now. Like other farmers, I am also facing several challenges because of the pandemic. One is that I am unable to plant proper seeds in my land. We cannot communicate with the districts to get agricultural inputs because they are closed. As a result, I suffered financial loss. Now, I am facing a financial crisis for the subsequent crop production. This issue is affecting not only my profession but also my family and my own well-being. Since I am unable to produce nutritious crops properly, there is a lack of nutritious food to feed my family.
At present, I get in touch virtually with an agricultural officer for support and advice on crop production. Despite several setbacks, I am producing the desired crops on a limited scale. I sell them by contacting the company for marketing of the products. Through this, I am still able to earn some income.
In my opinion, subsidies and incentives from the government can minimize the impact of the pandemic on smallholder farmers like me whose livelihood depends on agriculture. For the agriculture sector to be able to recover from the pandemic and for the economy to be self-sufficient, there should be cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Manik Chandra Roy
Bangladesh
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