Linking digitalisation and farming

International Agriculture research associate Ingrid Fromm and Head of digitalisation and new technologies Stefan Gfeller participated in a workshop at Khulna University that explored how digital solutions can enhance agribusiness competitiveness and support climate-smart farming. 

As part of their project, the HAFL duo also met with stakeholders to address and offer solutions to the challenges faced by smallholder farmers, specifically in Bangladesh’s coastal regions.
 

Impressed by commitment levels 

“We were welcomed with open arms,” said Ingrid. “All our ideas were taken into serious consideration, and the exchange was extremely enriching for all parties. 

“For me, the best part of the workshop was the level of commitment from each participant. The workshop provided us with the opportunity to discuss challenges, and understand the need for digital transformation and climate-smart agriculture. Discussing our strengths with key stakeholders, and how we can best support further research and collaboration, was important.” 

Participants included faculty from various departments of Khulna University (Agrotechnology, Business Administration, Economics, and the Business and Innovation Centre) and Bangladesh Agricultural University, master’s and PhD students, staff from NGOs such as Feed the Future Bangladesh, World Vision Bangladesh and ACDI/VOCA, representatives from the Bangladesh Economic and Development Society, as well as agricultural entrepreneurs from the Khulna District. 

“I was impressed by the students’ commitment,” said Stefan. “They organised the workshop extremely well and participated actively, providing ideas for the immediate and more distant future. 

“I was also impressed by the agricultural productivity of the region. An extremely large amount of food is produced in this small area, in relation to the population, and supplies the whole of Bangladesh.”
 

Exchanging digital solutions

The workshop provided Stefan, who was on his first work trip outside of Europe representing HAFL, the chance to showcase a variety of digital tools that improve agricultural practices.  

“As part of my presentation,” Stefan said, “I showed the digital tools that we use in Switzerland and discussed the results of research projects on smart farming conducted by HAFL or other institutions. 

“I talked about the use of drones or satellites to determine the health or nutrient requirements of crops. I also showed how we optimise irrigation management with the help of soil moisture sensors. Another example is the tracking of animals or virtual pasture fences. I also presented sensors for monitoring animal health. 

“So, it was a wide range of things; on the one hand products that are already on the market, and on the other, things that are still in their infancy or still being researched. Some of them are projects with HAFL involvement.”
 

World’s largest mangrove forest 

The week-long visit also included a field trip, a market tour, talks with NGOs, and listening to farmers and their concerns. Overall, the duo gained a deeper understanding of Bangladesh’s current agribusiness situation, as well as traditional agricultural practices. 

On the field trip, they visited the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Situated on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal between India and Bangladesh, it faces the challenges of salinisation, biodiversity loss and extreme weather. 

“I was surprised by the complexity and magnificence of the Sundarbans ecosystem,” said Ingrid, “and how agriculture has adapted to these conditions. 

“The agricultural system has been optimised and an example of this is the traditional ‘Gher’. Gher is a Bangla word for a system where a pond is dug into a rice field to use for fish farming. They use the dug-out soil to build dykes around the ponds for growing vegetables. 

“Gher farming produces a staple food crop (such as rice and fish) together with a high-value cash crop (such as prawns or vegetables) with the aim of providing social, economic and environmental benefits to the local community. 

“This ecosystem is one of the most vulnerable to climate-change impacts in the world, and there are limited opportunities to cope with these challenges for the estimated 2.7 million people living there.”
 

Future plans 

The researchers emphasised that the ideal outcome of the trip would be to secure funding to continue the project. 

“This would allow us to strengthen the collaboration,” said Ingrid, “and keep working together to integrate digital technologies to help farmers mitigate some of the climate-change risks they face, while also enhancing agribusiness competitiveness. 

“The digitalisation of agricultural value chains holds immense potential for enhancing efficiency, transparency and resilience. If the project continues, it will provide support for capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing the research, teaching and outreach capabilities of partner universities and institutions. 

“By facilitating training programs, workshops and knowledge-sharing platforms, the collaboration between BFH-HAFL and Khulna University aims to empower researchers, students, policymakers, and practitioners with the necessary skills, knowledge and resources to contribute effectively to climate-smart agriculture and sustainable development in the agri-food sector.” 

The project is a partnership between the HAFL Hugo P. Cecchini Institute, Khulna University, Leading House South Asia and Iran, and Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS).