SK Shoaibur Rahaman founded Agri-Science Society (AgSS), a non-profit agricultural organisation, in 2019. Being a student of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, he has been actively working with farmers, students, and organisations to promote agricultural digitalisation. For his contribution in this field, he was selected as a Sir Fazle Hasan Abed Ashoka Young Changemaker in 2020.

Shoaibur grew up in a village where farming was the main income source for many. He witnessed farmers struggling with traditional methods due to their lack of knowledge about advancements. "Their backdated practices could lead to environmental damage and threats to food security in the long run. I wanted to do something effective for these farmers," shared Shoaibur.

AgSS primarily intends to help farmers by promoting agricultural technology and connecting them with experts. The organisation facilitates agricultural education and research through innovative programmes and projects. They recently organised 'Agriculture Virtual Summit', which brought together important stakeholders in agriculture for discussions on potential solutions while addressing the current crisis. The six-day event consisted of six sessions conducted by 18 experts.

SK Shoaibur Rahaman. Photos: Courtesy

The organisation's 'Farmer Consultation Programme' educates farmers about sustainable agriculture and provides them with prescriptions to save their crops from emerging diseases.

Their website and social media platforms contain over 100 articles and blogs about agricultural researches and new technologies. They have hosted 15 webinars during the pandemic. The organisation's app, 'Agricultural Dictionary' has definitions of more than 6,200 agricultural terms. It can be downloaded for free from Google Play Store and Galaxy Store.

'Farmer Aid', AgSS's web-based service, allows farmers to ask questions and get solutions from experts. The platform allows farmers to connect with each other and share ideas. AgSS plans to develop a user-friendly app that will be launched later this year. They will also collaborate with the Department of Agricultural Extension to extend their services to a wider range of beneficiaries.

Moving forward, AgSS plans to launch AgriPro, an artificial intelligence driven app for detecting plant diseases and providing prescriptions. "I want to work in food supply chain management. After graduating, I will continue to promote agricultural research in my country," concluded Shoaibur.

The author is a freelance journalist who likes reading, planning, and scribbling. Email: mislammonamee@gmail.com.