In the context of Bangladesh, 25M+ farm families are supported by 14K+ agricultural extension workforce which has become the only bridge between researchers and farmers. Moreover, in the Extension of Bangladesh, the communicative pattern depends mainly on “people to people” contact approach. By these, the extension process has become challenging and will become more challenging in coming days if the modern communication tools and methods are not incorporated. Keeping pace with this fact, UNDP-supported a2i programme in together with DAE has launched a prompt, location specific and season-oriented extension portal named "Krishi Batayon" and a phone service “Krishok Bondhu Phone Seba-3331” implemented by DAE. These harmonize all the key players (research, extension, farmers) in the field of agriculture for their interrelation and interaction through a virtual platform.

In the meantime 11,900 extension officers have been registered and 2.3 M+ farmers have been registered in the portal with their phone numbers who are being connected if dialed trough a unique number 3331 with the corresponding extension worker. Until now, at least 10,000 farmers' call have been responded and they have been provided with the agriculture extension service most of them were out of the reach of regular extension including women.

Moreover the portal is designed as an enterprise architecture so that it can be linked with necessary apps. 3 apps of such already have been launched one of which is to input and disseminate local market agro product price information, one is to input the crop status and one is to provide location and season specific crop information, disease and technology including the video and pictures. Until now, more than 1000 local market agro product price information are being collected and more than 1000 varieties of more than 120 crops have been gathered and sorted according to the location and seasons.

Also an intelligent approach to collect local agriculture knowledge and present through 504 portals.

http://krishi.gov.bd

• Bangladesh

• The poor
• Remote and rural communities

This technology can be replicated in any of the counties with a language change. This is already been replicated through 504 units in Bangladesh.

The traditional extension service has been redesigned by incorporating digital features which have made the extension service easier, government has owned these products.

Creating Local ICT communication Focals