A digital website service called Paba Sar Dotcom has been launched in Paba upazila of Rajshahi to ensure the fair distribution of fertiliser among farmers and to prevent artificial shortages. Through the platform, information on stocks, sales and remaining fertiliser held by the upazila’s various dealers can be seen online.
Rajshahi divisional commissioner Md Yusuf Ali launched the service as chief guest at an event in the Paba upazila council meeting room on Tuesday afternoon.
Deputy commissioner Kazi Shahidul Islam was special guest. The event was chaired by Paba upazila executive officer Md Ibnul Abedin and conducted by upazila agriculture officer M A Mannan.
Md Ibnul Abedin said the government is allocating sufficient fertiliser with subsidies for agriculture. Field monitoring had shown, however, that despite adequate allocation, many farmers were not getting their fair share because the fertiliser was not being distributed evenly. Some farmers were also taking more than they needed, leaving others deprived of their due.
The upazila executive officer said Paba Sar Dotcom had been launched with these problems in mind. Under the arrangement, farmers do not have to follow any new procedure. They will buy fertiliser from dealers as before. Only the dealers will have to update their stock and sales information on the website. Through this the administration will be able to see online how much fertiliser each dealer holds.
Saying that stock information for about 25 dealers in Paba upazila will be visible on the website’s dashboard, the upazila executive officer said a warning message will appear on the website if an unusually large quantity of fertiliser is sold in any area relative to need. An investigating officer will then be sent to the area concerned to verify the matter.
Setting out how fertiliser distribution will be monitored, he said sub-assistant agriculture officers will observe at field level whether farmers are receiving fertiliser. Their inspections will be recorded by GPS location. Ten tag officers from various upazila offices will then monitor their work, and the upazila administration will also observe the whole arrangement.
The upazila executive officer said Paba Sar Dotcom is essentially a progressive web app. Alongside being used as a website, it can be added to a mobile phone like an app. It has been launched on a pilot basis at present, and changes and new features will be added in stages on the basis of users’ feedback.
Deputy commissioner Kazi Shahidul Islam said getting fertiliser to marginal farmers at the right time is a major challenge for the administration.