A $180 million project with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to enhance the education, research and technical capacity of the country’s agricultural universities is in the process of government approval. The five-year ‘Strengthening Agricultural Tertiary Education Project (SATEP)’ will take initiatives to improve the quality of agricultural higher education, strengthen climate-smart agricultural education and research, and increase university connectivity with the agro-industry, a press release said.
Under the proposed project, there is a plan to develop Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAKU) as a center of excellence in agricultural research and a regional research and knowledge hub in South Asia. At the same time, support will also be provided to enhance the education, research and technical capacity of other agricultural universities in the country.
This information was shared during a consultative meeting of the ADB delegation with Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed on Wednesday (September 2). The meeting was held at the meeting room of the UGC Chairman’s office on the ‘Strengthening Agricultural Tertiary Education Project (SATEP).
The initial cost of the project is estimated at US$ 180 million. Of this, ADB will finance US$ 105 million and Korea Exim Bank/Economic Development Cooperation Fund (KEXIM/EDCF) will finance US$ 55 million. The remaining amount will be borne by the Bangladesh government. The implementation period of the project is planned to be from 2027 to 2032.
Under the proposed project, special emphasis will be given to improving the quality of agricultural higher education and climate-smart agricultural education and research to address the impacts of climate change. In addition to making agricultural education compatible with the needs of the industry and the labor market, a modern and climate-resilient agricultural research and development system will be strengthened.
Apart from this, arrangements will be made to establish a high-tech agricultural university, develop modern research infrastructure, modernize the curriculum and academic structure, increase the use of information technology, and provide training to improve the professional skills of teachers and researchers.
There is also a plan to establish a modern instrumentation center related to climate change and agricultural research at Bangladesh Agricultural University. Through this center, opportunities will be created for modern data collection, analysis, and research on various issues of climate change, agricultural production, and environmental issues.
The use of modern technology in agricultural research and education will also be increased under the project. There are plans to expand the use of technologies such as remote sensing, GPS, GIS, drones, digital twins, weather analytics, big data analytics, biotechnology, and robotics.
Another important goal of the project is to connect the results of the university’s research and innovation with the agricultural sector and market. Initiatives will be taken to commercialize research knowledge and technology, strengthen effective partnerships between the university and the agricultural industry, and strengthen research-industry-entrepreneur linkages. In addition, there is a plan to provide pre-startup, startup and incubation support to create young agricultural entrepreneurs.
