Food security and future of farming
Anu Mahmud | Friday, 18 March 2011
Anu Mahmud
An annual loss of Tk 300 billion on account of post-harvest crop damage for a country like Bangladesh is unacceptable. Certainly, one of the highest crop losses in the world, this can be allowed to continue only at our own peril, particularly at a time when food production the world over is facing newer challenges from climate change. The year 2011 has already pointed to a bleak prospect for food availability due mostly to hostile weather patterns threatening to seriously affect crop production across the globe. So, along with production of cereals and other crops, the imperative for us is to scientifically harvest, store and ensure that the last grain produced is used for feeding our population. Harvesting of immature corns, pest attacks and floods alone are not responsible for depleting the sources and supply line of food, improper handling during transportation and storing also accounts for damage to produces. In this context it is most welcome that a seminar held in the city has focused on the need for cooperation with the Netherlands, a country known for its highly developed processing technology, in building Bangladesh's capacity for better management of crops during and after harvest. As food security is a priority for us in this competitive world, capacity building in this sector counts in a big way. It is because of this we need to develop our agro processing industry as quickly as possible. At the grower's level, farmers have developed quite a few indigenous methods over the ages for storing small amounts of their food grains. But when it comes to handling bulk, the record is not at all impressive with rats in particular accounting for massive damage. Clearly, in such areas we need foreign expertise, devices and technology the most. In this context, uninterrupted power supply can prove decisive. Moreover, areas where homes are inundated by floodwaters with scarcely a gap of years, post-harvest food storing needs different types of technology from what we have at our disposal. Local experts, too, working in this area have come up with a few suggestions like sealed underground storing facilities. To build such facilities, the government has to play a role either in the capacity of a facilitator or a partner. One suggestion at the seminar advocates public-private partnership in this regard. Surely, this makes sense because it is a gargantuan task and therefore it has to be accomplished with the cooperation of all who have a stake in it. Genetically modified crops are the key to human survival as such moves to block GM crops on moral grounds are no longer sustainable, said an expert. Moreover, he said moves to block cultivation of genetically modified crops in the developing world can no longer be tolerated on ethical or moral grounds. He said the world faced "a perfect storm" of issues that could lead to widespread food shortages and public unrest over the next few decades. His warning comes in the wake of food riots in North Africa and rising global concern about mounting food prices. "A number of very important factors are about to change our world," said Beddington, an expert in population biology. "Its population is rising in millions every month and will reach a total of around 9,000 million by 2050. At the same time, it is estimated that by 2030 more than 60 per cent of the population will be living in cities and will no longer be involved in growing crops or raising domestic animals. And on top of that, the world's population is getting more prosperous and able to pay for more food." These factors indicate that the world was going to need 40 per cent more food, 20 per cent more water and 50 per cent more energy by the middle of the century-at a time when climate change was starting to have serious environmental impacts on the planet, flooding coastal plains, spreading deserts and raising temperatures. While stressing that no harm should be inflicted on humans or the environment he emphasised the role of modern biotechnological techniques, including GM crops, in the future of global food production. "There will be no silver bullet, but it is very hard to see how it would be remotely sensible to justify not using new technologies such as GM. Just look at the problems that the world faces: water shortages and salination of existing water supplies, for example. GM crops should be able to deal with that. Of course, he added as what seemed to be an after-thought, "we will have to make sure these crops are properly tested; that they work; that they don't harm people; and that they don't harm the environment." That in a nutshell represents the core of our fear. About 7.0 per cent of the world's entire farmland acreage is planted with genetically modified crops said to be the ultimate anti-organic food. The global demand for food and fuel may be the reasons farmers will be eager to squeeze more yield from an acre of soil but consumer resistance cannot be overcome. Farmers are given different incentives like steady supply of necessary inputs at fair prices with a view to encouraging higher production of potato. The government has also adopted a policy of increasing cash incentives on export of potatoes to help growers get fair price of their produce. All these are fine and necessary! But the existing storage capacity, lagging far behind the demand, remains a discouraging factor. And this is an area where adequate attention has not so far been given. That is why the potato growers in the Kurigram district, as elsewhere in the country, are worried about the storage problem as the district has only two cold storages with a preservation capacity of only 20,000 tonnes against the likely demand for more than 122,000 tonnes. Thus a significant part of more than 100 tonnes above the storage capacity in the area faces the risk of rotting under open air. The production-storage capacity ratio in other areas of the country is almost the same. According to another report, there are only 330 cold storages in the country with the maximum preservation capacity of only 2.6 million tonnes of potato against the set target of producing 8.4 million tonnes this season. Potato production last year was also far above the storage facilities. Potato has great importance for the country's agricultural economy. Its production, taken by volume, is second only to rice production among all cereal crops. As an important supplement to the staple food, potato is a friend of bad time. It is not without reason that farmers bring vast tracts of land under potato farming despite severe shortage of storage capacities and risk of damages. Not only potatoes, huge quantities of other agricultural products like tomatoes, pineapples etc are damaged every year for lack of storage facilities. So, whatever incentives are given to the farmers are little likely to help raise production to the optimum level. Expansion of storage and marketing facilities should therefore be given due importance in promoting potato farming. Establishment of sufficient number of cold storages should get more space in the annual development programme. Cereal production in the country has trebled over the years. Annual yield of other crops has also increased manifolds with the introduction of production for the market and has created an increased demand for storage and marketing facilities. But our authorities failed to have a clear view of the trend and take necessary steps in advance. It is expected that they will pay adequate attention to solving the crisis before the upward trend of agriculture takes a downward turn. A short duration, drought-tolerant Aman variety of rice is to be launched next year by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institutie (BRRI) to increase the overall rice production in the country. After getting approval from the National Seed Board, the new variety of Aman is expected to reach the farmers across the country by next year, said the scientist concerned. The existing Aman varieties including BR-11 and BRRI-Dhan-30 take 135-145 days to complete harvest and due to its long duration the crops is affected by the usual drought. The short duration Aman crop would need maximum 100-105 days only to complete the harvest and has the capability of protecting the crop from drought. The variety would bring good results in Jessore, Kushtia, Jhenidah and Rajshahi which are known as early drought prone areas. BRRI had developed 57 high-yielding varieties of rice including four hybrids having two to three times higher yield potential than the traditional rice varieties. In the context of changing circumstances and situations, the institute is now faced with big challenges to meet the new requirements for innovating ways. According to the BRRI chief the big challenge is to meet the country's additional food requirements by increased rice production under the major constraint of climate change and other factors like less water, less land and less chemicals. Boro and Aman amounts to 60 per cent of the rice needed in the country while Aus crop meets the remaining 40 per cent of the demand. Besides, extreme weather posing threats of significant reduction in agricultural production, salinity intrusion and erosion of farmland due to the ongoing process of climate change have further endangered the food security situation in Bangladesh a country burdened with the responsibility of feeding some 160 million plus people. The simple way to build food security for Bangladesh is to produce more rice at the first chance. The writer is Director at the Prime Minister's Office, and can be reached at e-mail: anumahmud@yahoo.com
An annual loss of Tk 300 billion on account of post-harvest crop damage for a country like Bangladesh is unacceptable. Certainly, one of the highest crop losses in the world, this can be allowed to continue only at our own peril, particularly at a time when food production the world over is facing newer challenges from climate change. The year 2011 has already pointed to a bleak prospect for food availability due mostly to hostile weather patterns threatening to seriously affect crop production across the globe. So, along with production of cereals and other crops, the imperative for us is to scientifically harvest, store and ensure that the last grain produced is used for feeding our population. Harvesting of immature corns, pest attacks and floods alone are not responsible for depleting the sources and supply line of food, improper handling during transportation and storing also accounts for damage to produces. In this context it is most welcome that a seminar held in the city has focused on the need for cooperation with the Netherlands, a country known for its highly developed processing technology, in building Bangladesh's capacity for better management of crops during and after harvest. As food security is a priority for us in this competitive world, capacity building in this sector counts in a big way. It is because of this we need to develop our agro processing industry as quickly as possible. At the grower's level, farmers have developed quite a few indigenous methods over the ages for storing small amounts of their food grains. But when it comes to handling bulk, the record is not at all impressive with rats in particular accounting for massive damage. Clearly, in such areas we need foreign expertise, devices and technology the most. In this context, uninterrupted power supply can prove decisive. Moreover, areas where homes are inundated by floodwaters with scarcely a gap of years, post-harvest food storing needs different types of technology from what we have at our disposal. Local experts, too, working in this area have come up with a few suggestions like sealed underground storing facilities. To build such facilities, the government has to play a role either in the capacity of a facilitator or a partner. One suggestion at the seminar advocates public-private partnership in this regard. Surely, this makes sense because it is a gargantuan task and therefore it has to be accomplished with the cooperation of all who have a stake in it. Genetically modified crops are the key to human survival as such moves to block GM crops on moral grounds are no longer sustainable, said an expert. Moreover, he said moves to block cultivation of genetically modified crops in the developing world can no longer be tolerated on ethical or moral grounds. He said the world faced "a perfect storm" of issues that could lead to widespread food shortages and public unrest over the next few decades. His warning comes in the wake of food riots in North Africa and rising global concern about mounting food prices. "A number of very important factors are about to change our world," said Beddington, an expert in population biology. "Its population is rising in millions every month and will reach a total of around 9,000 million by 2050. At the same time, it is estimated that by 2030 more than 60 per cent of the population will be living in cities and will no longer be involved in growing crops or raising domestic animals. And on top of that, the world's population is getting more prosperous and able to pay for more food." These factors indicate that the world was going to need 40 per cent more food, 20 per cent more water and 50 per cent more energy by the middle of the century-at a time when climate change was starting to have serious environmental impacts on the planet, flooding coastal plains, spreading deserts and raising temperatures. While stressing that no harm should be inflicted on humans or the environment he emphasised the role of modern biotechnological techniques, including GM crops, in the future of global food production. "There will be no silver bullet, but it is very hard to see how it would be remotely sensible to justify not using new technologies such as GM. Just look at the problems that the world faces: water shortages and salination of existing water supplies, for example. GM crops should be able to deal with that. Of course, he added as what seemed to be an after-thought, "we will have to make sure these crops are properly tested; that they work; that they don't harm people; and that they don't harm the environment." That in a nutshell represents the core of our fear. About 7.0 per cent of the world's entire farmland acreage is planted with genetically modified crops said to be the ultimate anti-organic food. The global demand for food and fuel may be the reasons farmers will be eager to squeeze more yield from an acre of soil but consumer resistance cannot be overcome. Farmers are given different incentives like steady supply of necessary inputs at fair prices with a view to encouraging higher production of potato. The government has also adopted a policy of increasing cash incentives on export of potatoes to help growers get fair price of their produce. All these are fine and necessary! But the existing storage capacity, lagging far behind the demand, remains a discouraging factor. And this is an area where adequate attention has not so far been given. That is why the potato growers in the Kurigram district, as elsewhere in the country, are worried about the storage problem as the district has only two cold storages with a preservation capacity of only 20,000 tonnes against the likely demand for more than 122,000 tonnes. Thus a significant part of more than 100 tonnes above the storage capacity in the area faces the risk of rotting under open air. The production-storage capacity ratio in other areas of the country is almost the same. According to another report, there are only 330 cold storages in the country with the maximum preservation capacity of only 2.6 million tonnes of potato against the set target of producing 8.4 million tonnes this season. Potato production last year was also far above the storage facilities. Potato has great importance for the country's agricultural economy. Its production, taken by volume, is second only to rice production among all cereal crops. As an important supplement to the staple food, potato is a friend of bad time. It is not without reason that farmers bring vast tracts of land under potato farming despite severe shortage of storage capacities and risk of damages. Not only potatoes, huge quantities of other agricultural products like tomatoes, pineapples etc are damaged every year for lack of storage facilities. So, whatever incentives are given to the farmers are little likely to help raise production to the optimum level. Expansion of storage and marketing facilities should therefore be given due importance in promoting potato farming. Establishment of sufficient number of cold storages should get more space in the annual development programme. Cereal production in the country has trebled over the years. Annual yield of other crops has also increased manifolds with the introduction of production for the market and has created an increased demand for storage and marketing facilities. But our authorities failed to have a clear view of the trend and take necessary steps in advance. It is expected that they will pay adequate attention to solving the crisis before the upward trend of agriculture takes a downward turn. A short duration, drought-tolerant Aman variety of rice is to be launched next year by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institutie (BRRI) to increase the overall rice production in the country. After getting approval from the National Seed Board, the new variety of Aman is expected to reach the farmers across the country by next year, said the scientist concerned. The existing Aman varieties including BR-11 and BRRI-Dhan-30 take 135-145 days to complete harvest and due to its long duration the crops is affected by the usual drought. The short duration Aman crop would need maximum 100-105 days only to complete the harvest and has the capability of protecting the crop from drought. The variety would bring good results in Jessore, Kushtia, Jhenidah and Rajshahi which are known as early drought prone areas. BRRI had developed 57 high-yielding varieties of rice including four hybrids having two to three times higher yield potential than the traditional rice varieties. In the context of changing circumstances and situations, the institute is now faced with big challenges to meet the new requirements for innovating ways. According to the BRRI chief the big challenge is to meet the country's additional food requirements by increased rice production under the major constraint of climate change and other factors like less water, less land and less chemicals. Boro and Aman amounts to 60 per cent of the rice needed in the country while Aus crop meets the remaining 40 per cent of the demand. Besides, extreme weather posing threats of significant reduction in agricultural production, salinity intrusion and erosion of farmland due to the ongoing process of climate change have further endangered the food security situation in Bangladesh a country burdened with the responsibility of feeding some 160 million plus people. The simple way to build food security for Bangladesh is to produce more rice at the first chance. The writer is Director at the Prime Minister's Office, and can be reached at e-mail: anumahmud@yahoo.com