The government is set to kick off the initial phase of the Farmers Card initiative tomorrow, with over 100,000 landless, marginal, and small-scale farmers slated to receive these cards. The program, which will provide agricultural inputs at fair prices and affordable irrigation services, will see Prime Minister Tarique Rahman distributing the cards at a ceremony in Feni’s Fulgazi Government Pilot High School grounds, as announced by Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also distribute Family Cards to impoverished and low-income families, in addition to offering honorariums to mosque imams, temple priests, and representatives from other religious institutions. In Feni district alone, 7,643 farmers are expected to obtain Farmers Cards under the pilot project, which is scheduled to run until the end of December. The distribution of the remaining cards to farmers in 13 other districts will be facilitated through video conferences.
Each Farmers Card provides benefits valued at Tk 2,500 for agricultural inputs. The distribution of these cards commenced on Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla calendar year, following the successful completion of a pre-pilot phase. This initiative was a significant electoral promise made by the government ahead of the February polls earlier this year.
To date, 20,832 farmers across ten districts have received the cards, aligning with the government’s broader objective to incorporate approximately 2.40 crore farmers nationwide into the program. The target for the 2026-27 fiscal year is to enroll 43 lakh farmers under the pilot phase. As of the third week of September, data collection for over 18.46 lakh farmers had been finalized, according to the agriculture ministry, with plans to gradually include the remaining farmers in the program.
The Farmers Card initiative is being rolled out in three stages: pre-pilot, pilot, and nationwide expansion, where eligible landless, marginal, and small-scale farmers will receive Tk 2,500 directly into their bank accounts. The agriculture ministry revealed that seven out of the ten services outlined in the government’s election manifesto regarding Farmers Cards will be introduced. These services include digital incentives disbursement, access to fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides, feed for fisheries, poultry, and livestock, agricultural loans with favorable terms, and irrigation assistance.
Holders of Farmers Cards will be able to procure designated goods and services from nearby dealers, sales centers, or service outlets. Minister Aminur highlighted that the program’s objective is to facilitate farmers’ access to agricultural inputs and enhance the accessibility of government support for agricultural advancement.
