Concern about agricultural productivity
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Amirul Islam
AGRICULTURE continues to be important for the Bangladesh economy. The Finance Adviser said recently that agriculture's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is not as big it used to be. It means that considerable diversification of the economy occurred over the years. Nonetheless, agriculture is basic to the well-being of the nearly 90 per cent of the population of the country who line in the countryside.
Agriculture is vital for the food security of the country and its macro economic stability. Growing imports of possible the country's forex reserve also had increased. But increasing foodgrain imports could put stress on the resource as well as country's macro economy and further offset the balance of payments at a point of time. There is no alternative to increasing agricultural productivity for the country's macro economic stability and its food security.
But experts are hardly satisfied with the progress in agricultural productivity. Agriculture's productivity does not match demand which means growing import dependence for foodgrains.
The only success story is in the area of rice production. The population of Bangladesh grew from 75 million in 1971 to over 140 million now, or it doubled in over three decades. The annual average rice production was some 11 million tons till 1971 which increased to 26 million tons in recent years. But foodgrain production now falls short of total effective demand by at least half a million tons on an average which had to be met by imports. As the population would likely raise by some 20 million in the next twenty years foodgrain production must at least be increased proportionately to maintain a balance between the two to feed the extra months. But farm land is increasingly joints into non agricultural uses. Some 20 to 37 per cent of agricultural land has already been lost due to this process during the last 10 years, according to one estimate.
In this situation, increasing the per hectare yield of foodgrains would be the way for Bangladesh to match increasing demand with extra supplies. The average output tons per hectare must be raised from existing 3 tons to 5 tons. This should be possible considering Bangladesh's soil fertility. Countries such as Japan and Korea, with less fertile soil, are growing 5-6 tons per hectare. But a planned effort to meet the growing demand is lacking. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has invented 47 new high yielding variety of rice. Only a handful of them have been popularised although, at least a dozen others, still with the BRRI can provide higher outputs. A number of high yielding variety developed by BRRI to grow defying drought and salinity, yet to be introduced to the farmers in the coastal districts. The greater part of the coastal districts can raise only one rice crop a year. But the coastal belt could grow several crops a year by growing the unintroduced new variety developed to suit its conditions. It's not so much a lack of research for new or suitable variety but the indifference or inability on the part of the Department of Agricultural Extension to train farmer across the country on how to raise a newer high yielding variety awaiting cultivation. The agricultural extension service and the BRRI need to be in regular touch for the new variety of seeds being developed by BRRI to find widespread cultivation.
Bangladesh was once self sufficient or nearly so in pulses, spices and cooking oil and other edibles. But a bigger part of the demand for these has to be met nowadays with import. In fact, import dependency of the country for these, is rising alarmingly. Raising their local production will not only save hard currency but spare their consumers the pains of paying for the escalating prices of these imported goods. Planned large scale production of these non cereal crops will have to be undertaken. In this endeavour the different official agencies meant to support agriculture will have to get their act together in a coordinated fashion to support and encourage the farmers.
AGRICULTURE continues to be important for the Bangladesh economy. The Finance Adviser said recently that agriculture's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is not as big it used to be. It means that considerable diversification of the economy occurred over the years. Nonetheless, agriculture is basic to the well-being of the nearly 90 per cent of the population of the country who line in the countryside.
Agriculture is vital for the food security of the country and its macro economic stability. Growing imports of possible the country's forex reserve also had increased. But increasing foodgrain imports could put stress on the resource as well as country's macro economy and further offset the balance of payments at a point of time. There is no alternative to increasing agricultural productivity for the country's macro economic stability and its food security.
But experts are hardly satisfied with the progress in agricultural productivity. Agriculture's productivity does not match demand which means growing import dependence for foodgrains.
The only success story is in the area of rice production. The population of Bangladesh grew from 75 million in 1971 to over 140 million now, or it doubled in over three decades. The annual average rice production was some 11 million tons till 1971 which increased to 26 million tons in recent years. But foodgrain production now falls short of total effective demand by at least half a million tons on an average which had to be met by imports. As the population would likely raise by some 20 million in the next twenty years foodgrain production must at least be increased proportionately to maintain a balance between the two to feed the extra months. But farm land is increasingly joints into non agricultural uses. Some 20 to 37 per cent of agricultural land has already been lost due to this process during the last 10 years, according to one estimate.
In this situation, increasing the per hectare yield of foodgrains would be the way for Bangladesh to match increasing demand with extra supplies. The average output tons per hectare must be raised from existing 3 tons to 5 tons. This should be possible considering Bangladesh's soil fertility. Countries such as Japan and Korea, with less fertile soil, are growing 5-6 tons per hectare. But a planned effort to meet the growing demand is lacking. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has invented 47 new high yielding variety of rice. Only a handful of them have been popularised although, at least a dozen others, still with the BRRI can provide higher outputs. A number of high yielding variety developed by BRRI to grow defying drought and salinity, yet to be introduced to the farmers in the coastal districts. The greater part of the coastal districts can raise only one rice crop a year. But the coastal belt could grow several crops a year by growing the unintroduced new variety developed to suit its conditions. It's not so much a lack of research for new or suitable variety but the indifference or inability on the part of the Department of Agricultural Extension to train farmer across the country on how to raise a newer high yielding variety awaiting cultivation. The agricultural extension service and the BRRI need to be in regular touch for the new variety of seeds being developed by BRRI to find widespread cultivation.
Bangladesh was once self sufficient or nearly so in pulses, spices and cooking oil and other edibles. But a bigger part of the demand for these has to be met nowadays with import. In fact, import dependency of the country for these, is rising alarmingly. Raising their local production will not only save hard currency but spare their consumers the pains of paying for the escalating prices of these imported goods. Planned large scale production of these non cereal crops will have to be undertaken. In this endeavour the different official agencies meant to support agriculture will have to get their act together in a coordinated fashion to support and encourage the farmers.