Agriculture: National Farmers’ Needs Assessment for Digital Transformation

RMCL conducted a nationwide background research and farmers’ needs assessment study on the operationalization of the Krishak Smart Card (KSC) initiative under the Program on Agricultural and Rural Transformation for Nutrition, Entrepreneurship, and Resilience in Bangladesh (PARTNER). The initiative, supported by the World Bank and implemented by the Department of Agricultural Extension under the Ministry of Agriculture, represents one of the largest agricultural digital transformation initiatives in Bangladesh, targeting approximately 22 million farmer families nationwide. The study aimed to assess the feasibility, operational challenges, digital readiness, infrastructure requirements, stakeholder expectations, and policy environment necessary for establishing a secure, integrated, and technology-enabled agricultural service ecosystem through the Krishak Smart Card (KSC) platform. The assignment focused on strengthening agricultural service delivery, financial inclusion, subsidy management, digital governance, and farmer-centered access to government services.

• Nationwide mixed-method research design and implementation;
• Farmers’ needs assessment and digital readiness analysis;
• Quantitative surveys and qualitative stakeholder consultations;
• Agricultural service and subsidy access assessment;
• Technology infrastructure and interoperability analysis;
• Financial inclusion and digital payment ecosystem assessment;
• Policy, regulatory, and governance framework review;
• Data analytics, strategic reporting, and implementation recommendations.

The study incorporated quantitative surveys with farmers across multiple agricultural regions alongside extensive qualitative consultations involving government officials, ICT experts, financial institutions, NGOs, development partners, extension workers, and agricultural stakeholders. Consultations included engagement with organizations such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other institutions working on agricultural modernization and digital transformation in Bangladesh. The findings identified significant challenges related to digital literacy, internet connectivity, financial access, cybersecurity risks, and infrastructure limitations affecting rural agricultural communities. Farmers strongly preferred hybrid smart card systems with offline functionality and simplified access mechanisms due to limited smartphone ownership and digital literacy barriers. The study highlighted the importance of integrating cloud-based architecture, national identity verification systems, real-time monitoring mechanisms, secure authentication systems, and interoperability with banking and government platforms.

• Secure cloud-based agricultural data ecosystems;
• Integration with National ID and financial systems;
• Cybersecurity, data privacy, and governance frameworks;
• Digital literacy and farmer capacity-building programs;
• Inclusive service delivery mechanisms for rural and marginalized farmers;
• Monitoring, evaluation, and phased implementation strategies.

The assignment also reviewed national and international regulatory frameworks, including digital security standards, agricultural policies, financial inclusion strategies, interoperability requirements, and smart card governance systems to support sustainable implementation and compliance. The findings contributed significantly to strengthening strategic planning for the KSC initiative by informing policy frameworks, digital infrastructure design, operational planning, stakeholder engagement strategies, and implementation roadmaps for Bangladesh’s future digital agricultural ecosystem. This assignment demonstrates RMCL’s expertise in nationwide agricultural research, digital transformation, technology governance, financial inclusion assessments, stakeholder-driven policy analysis, and large-scale field operations supporting evidence-based agricultural modernization and smart governance initiatives in Bangladesh.