PlantwisePlus Blog

“Digital innovation isn’t just about tools, it’s about transforming access to knowledge where it’s needed most.” 

In Bangladesh, millions of smallholder farmers struggle with unpredictable weather and frequent pest and disease outbreaks. Traditional agricultural extension services often can’t reach them fast enough. Digital agricultural extension, or e-extension, offers a solution. Using mobile phones, apps, and online platforms, it can provide farmers with advice on crop management, pest control, and weather alerts. This quick, targeted support helps farmers make informed decisions, increase yields, and adapt to climate challenges. 

CABI and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) have teamed up to pilot Bangladesh’s first Strategic Action Plan for e-Extension.  This partnership aims to make advisory services more sustainable, inclusive, and technology-driven. Moreover, by utilising digital tools, the project aims to transform the way support reaches farmers nationwide. 

The pilot focuses on combining PlantwisePlus digital tools with existing national digital platforms and tools that support and strengthen agricultural extension in Bangladesh. At its core is a nationally coordinated, decentralized model that uses ICT tools to provide real-time, localized, and inclusive advisory services. In addition, the plan focuses heavily on women, youth, and marginalized farmers. 

Building the digital backbone 

“From national e-extension desks to block level digital advisory hubs —the system is directed to transform the rural advisory through Bangladesh’s new digital extension ecosystem.” 

The action plan outlines the establishment of an institutional framework. This includes: 

• e-Extension Desks at the national level, housed within the headquarters of DAE. Agriculture Information Service (AIS) support these desks and looks after coordination and governance. 
• Regional e-Extension Hubs in piloted districts curate content for digital tools based on existing, regionally specific knowledge.   
• Satellite Hubs at block level (administrative unit within a district) ensures the localized delivery of advice and collect feedback directly from the farming communities.   

To steer the initiative, CABI helped establish a Technical Working Group (TWG) comprising representatives from relevant departments within the plant health system. This body is responsible for oversight, content validation, monitoring, and policy alignment. 

Co-creating the roadmap 

CABI participated in a recent multi-stakeholder writeshop, ‘Strengthening e-Extension Services through Digital Advisory Tools’, which brought together key government agencies and NGOs.  This milestone session helped shape a national strategic action plan for digital extension, a model not just for Bangladesh but for other countries moving toward digital agriculture. 

The roadmap co-created during the workshop outlines the foundations of a scalable, inclusive digital extension framework. Key pillars include coordinated governance, digital tool integration such as the PlantwisePlus digital tools, region-specific content, gender-responsive design, and delivery via interactive voice response (IVR), SMS, mobile apps, and community radio. 

Part of the framework includes connecting platforms like BAMIS (Bangladesh Agro-Meteorological Information System) and Krishoker Janala, (a crop diagnosis platform) in order to ensure timely, localized, and inclusive advisory services. 

The plan also taps into call centres, community radio, and popular digital communities such as Chad Krishi, a rooftop gardening platform, to strengthen farmer engagement and knowledge exchange. 

This pilot lays the groundwork for a national rollout. Immediate priorities for the pilot include analyzing baseline data and building capacity through CABI’s online learning platform, CABI Academy. In addition, the team are identifying local digital champions to help promote the digital tools. 

As technical facilitator, CABI ensures the initiative remains evidence-based, globally informed, and future-ready. In this way, CABI hopes the project will unlock the potential of digital agriculture to reach every farmer with the knowledge they need, when they need it. 

Bangladesh, like many other PlantwisePlus countries, is embracing digital agriculture. Through collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, this pilot is more than a digital upgrade;  it’s a way to expand access to agricultural advice and strengthen the knowledge and skills of millions of farmers. 

Further reading

Instructors in Bangladesh receive training to use CABI digital tools in agricultural diploma curricula

PlantwisePlus

PlantwisePlus gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation, Netherlands (DGIS); European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships (INTPA); UK International Development from the UK government; and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).