BJAF launches a major 25-day programme centered on a three-day international agriculture and food conference, a move designed to bring farmers, policymakers and experts together to find practical ways to strengthen the country’s food systems. The Bangladesh Agricultural Journalists Forum announced the plan at a press briefing in Dhaka and said the conference and training workshops are focused on the theme “Political Commitment in Agriculture and Food”, which will help highlight where stronger leadership can back clearer policies and fairer markets. Organizers say the event will include six sessions that cover farming, fisheries, livestock and food systems, and it will invite senior government officials, advisers, political leaders, entrepreneurs, farmers and other stakeholders to share ideas and work on solutions. As part of the anniversary activities, BJAF plans to begin a pilot project to declare the first adulteration-free and counterfeit-free agricultural input zone in a selected upazila, which would aim to protect farmers from fake seeds, fertilisers and chemicals and help them get better yields and safer products. The forum will also roll out a field-reporting initiative called “Journalists at Farmers’ Doorsteps”, where reporters will visit agricultural areas across six regions to listen to farmers directly, report problems clearly and bring local voices into national discussions. BJAF leaders say these steps will help make reporting more useful for farmers and help policy discussions stay grounded in real needs. The group, which has worked since its founding to strengthen agricultural journalism and farmers’ rights, said it is the only local member of a global network of agricultural journalists and plans to use that international link to improve training and share best practices. Conference organisers promise an open, practical programme with hands-on training sessions and talks that aim to equip journalists, extension workers and small business owners with better tools for clear reporting, responsible marketing and improved supply chains. Speakers and trainers will explain how stronger systems for checking inputs, simple labelling rules and clearer reporting can reduce waste, cut costs and build more trust between farmers and buyers. The forum believes that when journalists and farmers work together, local problems can be seen earlier and fixed faster, and when leaders hear clear, practical solutions, they can design better policies and support programs that reach small farms. Organizers are also inviting private firms and international partners to join so the conference can show real examples of new tools and services that help farmers sell more, reduce losses and improve quality. Overall, the anniversary programme aims to celebrate the forum’s work while creating a practical roadmap for safer agricultural inputs, stronger reporting and united action across the food sector, all with the goal of helping farmers earn more and consumers get safer, better food.
