Experts at a seminar on Thursday emphasised the critical need to prioritise budget allocation for the agriculture sector, especially during this ongoing austerity, to boost food-crop production.
The seminar, titled 'The Political Economy of Agrarian Future of Bangladesh', organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), discussed four key components shaping the future of agriculture in the country: crop pricing, cold storage facilities, water management and climate-change adaptation.
The seminar featured keynote presentations by Prof Dr M A Sattar Mandal, emeritus professor of Bangladesh Agricultural University and Prof Dr Geof Wood, emeritus professor of International Development at the University of Bath.
Former agriculture minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque stressed the importance of factors such as pricing, preservation infrastructure, water availability and climate resilience in shaping the future of agriculture in Bangladesh.
Dr Razzaque, also the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture, highlighted the transition of agriculture from traditional subsistence farming to commercialisation driven by market demand.
Prof Binayak Sen, director-general of BIDS, called for prioritising agriculture in the upcoming budget and emphasised the need to maximise local food production to reduce reliance on imports.
He suggested agricultural diversification beyond cereal crops to include poultry, dairy, fisheries and high-value horticulture crops.
Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), argued for viewing agriculture not only as a means of food security but also as a driver of economic growth, similar to models in Denmark and New Zealand.
He focused on the impact of climate change on farming and urged attention to underutilised lands in coastal and Sylhet regions.
Former Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman observed the emergence of diversified agricultural practices in Bangladesh, including large-scale farming alongside traditional small-scale farm households.
He underscored commercialisation as the future of the country's agriculture and noted the influence of urbanisation on rural entrepreneurship with the inauguration of EPZs and SEZs.
Dr Sajjad Zohir, executive director of Economic Research Group, highlighted the importance of land ownership and land reform in shaping the future political economy of Bangladesh's agrarian system.
Professors Mandal and Wood presented a paper based on their ongoing research, which made several noteworthy observations.
They questioned the feasibility of combining large and small machinery of the same type (e.g., 4-wheel tractors vs. 2-wheel power tillers; large combine harvesters vs. walk-behind reapers) as a potential element of a unique Bangladeshi modernisation strategy.
Furthermore, they raised questions about the sustainability of small-scale cereal cropping if corporate agribusinesses shift focus to high-value horticulture and alternative land uses like livestock farming, considering factors such as grazing, stall feeding and methane gas emissions.
The discussion also revolved around the implications of urbanisation on agricultural practices, particularly the potential shift towards horticulture and perishable products and its impact on rice production.
Apart from this, the research pondered how to ensure the retention of domestic grain production, which remains a significant employer of the rural population.
Regarding the rapid growth of the agricultural machinery market, their research deliberated on whether the Government should invest in or encourage private sector investment in modern agricultural machinery manufacturing hubs, considering both domestic and northeastern Indian markets.
In light of the extreme uncertainty and price fluctuations affecting farmers' gross margins, they explored the government's role in protecting small-scale new entrant farmers and fostering productivity growth.
The researchers also urged for extensive field research and informed policy debates to address these and other pertinent policy questions effectively.
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