The Rise of AI in Bangladesh’s Agriculture.

©iPAGE

The vibrant fields of Bangladesh, rich with green paddy and teeming with life, are undergoing a profound transformation. Once marked by labor-intensive practices and unpredictable weather patterns, the country’s agriculture is now embracing a digital metamorphosis—powered by artificial intelligence, drones, and smart sensors. This evolution isn’t merely about embracing new tools; it's about reimagining an entire economic landscape and unlocking opportunities for resilience, efficiency, and prosperity.

Agriculture remains the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy: roughly 14 % of GDP and nearly 41 % of the workforce are tied to farming . Yet, the sector grapples with formidable challenges—climate shocks, shrinking arable land, soil degradation, water scarcity, and outdated methods. Against this backdrop, AI-driven precision farming is emerging as a powerful antidote.

From Khulna’s rice paddies to Rajshahi’s melon farms, AI and drone technologies are catalyzing change. Drones equipped with multispectral cameras and thermal sensors now scan crops to detect stress, disease, or pest infestations—often before symptoms are visible to the naked eye. These innovations have helped farmers reduce pesticide usage by up to 40%, improve water efficiency by 30–40%, and boost productivity significantly .

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, has deployed drone training programs for its officers, beginning with Sylhet. This initiative trains agricultural professionals to use geospatial mapping and remote sensing to assess crop damage post-disasters, forming a bedrock for climate resilience strategies. Elsewhere, private startups like iPAGE, AgriBotX, and iFarmer are leveraging AI-based mobile advisory systems. iPAGE’s platform, for instance, combines satellite data, weather forecasts, and soil diagnostics to offer crop-specific advice—reducing fertilizer usage by 40%, cutting CO₂ emissions, and raising yields by over 12 %. Meanwhile, apps like Dr Chashi and Rice Solution from BRRI provide real-time pest diagnosis from photos, making AI solutions accessible even to smallholders .

Institutions such as BARC, BRRI, and Bangladesh Agricultural University are actively integrating AI into their innovation pipelines—developing crop models that simulate climate impacts, smart irrigation systems tied to moisture sensors, and drone-led yield forecasting . A case study from Rajshahi showed that precision farming using AI analytics increased yields by 20%, cut water use by 25%, and reduced fertilizer input by 30% .

On the economic front, these advances are fueling transformation. Skilled youth are being trained as drone operators and data analysts, creating new agritech employment and closing rural-urban migration gaps . The advent of local drone manufacturers like Sky Biz Limited, who are building export-orientated spraying drones in BEPZA, signals a budding industrial ecosystem built around agri-innovation.

Yet, this technological leap isn’t without hurdles. Connectivity remains spotty in many remote villages; farmers often lack the means to purchase or maintain drones and sensors, and digital literacy remains low . To overcome these barriers, governments, donors, and local startup ecosystems are forging collaborative models—subsidized cooperatives, farmer producer groups (FPGs), and MSPs offer shared drone rental and advisory. Public–private initiatives are establishing smart agriculture policies, infrastructure upgrades, and AI training programs .

The environmental dividends are equally striking. Precision techniques minimize runoff and soil damage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and conserve dwindling water resources . Climate-smart approaches such as floating gardens and resilient crop planning, now enhanced by AI prediction models, help shield farmers from floods, salinity, and erratic rainfall .

Bangladesh now stands at a crossroads. The pieces for a digital agricultural revolution are in place—AI‑equipped drones hurtling over verdant fields, sensor networks humming under fertile soil, startups scaling advisory platforms, and policymakers building enabling frameworks. If investments in infrastructure, training, data security, and affordability continue, smallholder farmers could grip the helm of this transformation—steering economic uplift and climate resilience with newfound control.

Ultimately, AI‑powered agriculture in Bangladesh is more than a tech upgrade—it’s a societal rebalance. As digital professionalism takes root in rural economies, new skills complement tradition, productivity aligns with sustainability, and harvests grow more reliable, even as global weather patterns swing. In the drone’s hum over a rice field, and the AI's silent reasoning beneath the surface, lies a new generation of prosperity: one where technology is harvested alongside crops, and data transforms livelihoods.

Written by: 
Rifat Hasan Rabbi
Department of Agricultural Science
Daffodil International University