The directive of the prime minister to prepare a master plan to protect cultivable land in all the upazilas of the country is not a new one. It may be recalled that months after assuming office of the current term, the PM had instructed the authorities concerned to chalk out a master plan for all upazilas under a specific development design aimed at protecting crop lands and checking unplanned construction of buildings, roads and other structures. Although the progress of work is not known, it has been learnt that the ministry of local government, rural development (LGRD) is at work on the master plan. As reported by the media, at a cabinet meeting last week, the PM, while noting that the master plan will ensure rational use of land in the development process, asked the authorities concerned to complete formulation of the plan within the quickest possible time.
In a land-scarce country like Bangladesh, losing arable land is one of the common concerns that frequently gets in the way of achieving many development objectives. According to the US Environmental Performance Index (EPI) report, Bangladesh tops the list of countries losing arable lands quite fast.
There is, however, an element of confusion as to the pace at which arable lands are getting lost. Conflicting, at times exaggerated estimates make it difficult to be informed about some of the basics – actual lands under cultivation, those under industrial use and human habitation and so on. While losing arable land is a reality one has to live with, the important aspect is the availability of credible data in order to facilitate the planners to plan and address a multitude of issues, not all of which are necessarily related to food production. However, authentic information is crucial for the simple reason that food security hinges on the availability of land under cultivation.
Studies conducted in the past revealed that the country was losing around 1.0 per cent of its agricultural land annually. According to an agricultural census conducted in 1983-84, the country's total agricultural land was estimated at 9.2 million hectares. A subsequent study done in 1996 showed a considerable decrease in farm lands amounting to 8.2 million hectares. This shows the annual loss at 1.0 per cent. But findings of a study conducted a few years ago by the country's lead NGO BRAC revealed a somewhat relieving picture. Between 1983 and 2008, the study says, decrease of cultivable land was at an annual rate of 0.3 per cent instead of the 1.0 per cent as found by an earlier study, which by all accounts is alarming.
However, one important issue that needs to be worked on is a database of the size of agricultural lands in order to make a plan at the macro level easier. Besides, there is also the need for accurate data about the reclaimed lands that the government has been announcing for some time now but not providing precise information as to their size.
Now, while credible data are important, equally important it is to know the reasons behind the losses. The reasons are not many, but how these impact the loss and what measures are needed to check matters that require urgent attention should be prioritised. Tiding over the losses through adoption of a combination of policies and actions could be the right way to address the situation.
At the root of the loss, the number one factor is the increased demand for land as a result of an increasing population. More and more lands are required for raising homesteads, and the requirement is met mostly by agricultural lands. As per 2001 population census, the total number of homesteads in the country was 24.85 million which rose to 28.66 million, 2008 agricultural census finds - at a growth rate of more than 15 per cent. Subsequently, as per 2011 population census, the number of homesteads stood at 32.18 million. The total land area occupied by homesteads between 1996 and 2008 rose from three hundred fifty three thousand acres to six hundred seventy seven thousand acres. Similar is the case with the requirements of roads that come up with increased population and decrease in agricultural lands. Coupled with it is the recurrence of river erosion that takes its toll on farm lands.
Looking at the overall situation, it appears that loss of farm lands could have been partly avoided had there been a legal bar on the use of agricultural lands for purposes other than cultivation. There were opinions many a time from concerned quarters in the past to bring some legal instrument in force so that agricultural lands could be protected.
While the loss of farm land is an issue of serious magnitude, there is also the need to examine a number of allied matters that need important data by way of intensive research. For example, the need to examine economic returns from farm lands being used for non-agricultural purposes is one such. There is thus the need for research not just to update the available farm lands including those being reportedly reclaimed, but also to disseminate findings on a host of inter-related matters to facilitate macro planning.
These are some of the core issues that must be kept in mind by all concerned while preparing the master plan. Understandably, the proposed master plan, if worked out thoroughly and thoughtfully, is highly likely to help address most of the problems affecting crop lands.
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