Food security for Bangladesh
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Abul Quasem Haider
FOOD, clothes, shelter, education and treatment are fundamental rights of the people. The state is bound to provide these to its citizens. Now "security" is added and the state is bound to provide food security to its citizens.
In a recent newspaper article, the army chief, General Moin U Ahmed suggested for increasing the area of cultivable land, multiple use of land, culmination of high breeding seeds, easy accessibility of agricultural equipment, accountability of agricultural development, functionaries, change of food habit, pisciculture, search for alternative to edible oil, and population control.
After liberation of Bangladesh, the population of the country was 75 million and the total of cultivable land, 9.9 million hectares. Now the country's population stands at 150 million and the cultivable area has reduced to 6.6 million hactares. In 36 years, the population has doubled while the total cultivable area has been reduced by a third. Now it is necessary to take measures to increase cultivable land. The borders of the agricultural land to segregate plots, waste a considerable land. But in Chittagong, beans and vegetables are grown on the borders. This system of cultivation across the country can increase cultivable land. All these matters do have been bearings on our needs to raise food production were rightly noted by the army chief in his article. Quoting the Icelandic President, he wrote that owing to greenhouse effects, the global temperature would increase and the ice of Greenland would melt and to raise the sea level by seven meters. Professor Ainun Nishat in a recent article said that Bangladesh would not be affected by green house effect.
We do, indeed, need to take measures for multiple land use. For this, efforts are called for, to encourage the farmers to change the cropping pattern. Two or three crops are already grown a year in many places of Bangladesh which had earlier a single crop. In Faridpur district only in one year an additional twelve thousand hectares of land and in Sylhet an additional forty three thousand hectares were brought under cultivation, increasing the output two to three times. In Faridpur district, planted 'Aman paddy' grown alongside jute gave an additional 50 thousand metric tons of rice. Introduction of this system in 64 districts of the country with the help of Rice Research Institute and Ministry of Agriculture, could double the cultivable land of the country.
High breed seeds, as the army chief noted, can easily raise output to 10 tons compared to 2.5 tons yield of HYV. Many private entrepreneurs have, in the meantime, started supplying high breed seeds for better results.
Easy accessibility of agricultural equipment deserves here a priority attention. At present, the peasants are being harassed in many ways. This was pointed out by the army chief in his afore-mentioned article. They have to borrow funds at high rates of interest and as such the lion's share of their output goes to repay the loans. The loans squeeze the helpless farmers. We need to find a way out of this distress. In some places, the country's armed forces played a pro-active role in the recent times by intervention, in order to help encourage sales of the crops at prices two or three times higher than the lenders' price. To replace this temporary measure, a permanent measure is now needed to protect the interests of the helpless farmers.
The activities of agriculture extension network in the country has been extended to the grassroots but agriculture officers and staff in districts and upazillas are not still accountable to the appropriate authorities. Only the private initiative, without government patronisation, is not enough for development of agriculture. The efficient, hard working, sincere and devoted officers and staff in the related agricultural departments or extension services have to be given proper recognition for their good work, with promotions, postings in good places as well as foreign trainings. For that matter, the deputy commissioners and the Nirbahee officers at the upazila, as suggested by General Moin, should be involved in this programmes.
Furthermore, we have to encourage actions to facilitate a change in our food habit. As 60 per cent of national budget is spent for importation of the items of daily necessities, any additional expenditure in the area would create a great pressure on the budget. For this, efforts to increase domestic production are critical. Against an annual requirement of rice and wheat of 26 million metric tons this year due to bumper Boro production, Bangladesh could produce 25.9 million metric tons of food grains. If we eat more potato to change food habit, we can contribute to reducing the pressure on rice. It would also make potato growers financially solvent. Here lies the importance of the slogan 'potato with rice in our every day food'. Furthermore, steps like inclusion of 'Kashaba,' a kind of African potato, the flour of which makes rice breads, can be relevant here. We need to learn the methods of learning Kasba production. Otherwise, the initiative to introduce Kashaba would fail, once again.
As a part of our broader efforts to help score sustainable progress in agricultural sector, we have to develop our pisciculture to increase fish export after meeting the domestic demand. This could make positive contribution to food security.
It should also be noted here at present oil seeds are grown in a total area of 450,000 hectares to get a total of 1,45,000 metric tons of edible oils. Bangladesh imports 600,000 tons of edible oil per annum, spending taka in foreign exchange. Furthermore, we can also grow oil palm, instead of importing edible oil.
If the current population growth continues, the population of the country will reach 210 million by 2037. It is time for us to seriously ponder over how we will feed extra 60 million people and where we will provide them shelter. 'One child' policy gave China a solution but Bangladesh's failure to control population is a threat to its existence. Bangladesh has to be successful in population control at any cost. For this, we do all need to work together to solve this problem.
The country has otherwise huge potentials. The people not only face natural or man-made calamities with fortitude and courage but also work hard to feed the country. Last year when the global food crisis led people of many countries to agitate fiercely, the farmers of Bangladesh tackled the crisis with greater productivity.
The people of Bangladesh are capable of achieving national prosperity. They can achieve food security and, thus, strengthen national security to develop the country in all respects.
(The writer is a former vice president and is FBCCI chairman of Eastern University)
FOOD, clothes, shelter, education and treatment are fundamental rights of the people. The state is bound to provide these to its citizens. Now "security" is added and the state is bound to provide food security to its citizens.
In a recent newspaper article, the army chief, General Moin U Ahmed suggested for increasing the area of cultivable land, multiple use of land, culmination of high breeding seeds, easy accessibility of agricultural equipment, accountability of agricultural development, functionaries, change of food habit, pisciculture, search for alternative to edible oil, and population control.
After liberation of Bangladesh, the population of the country was 75 million and the total of cultivable land, 9.9 million hectares. Now the country's population stands at 150 million and the cultivable area has reduced to 6.6 million hactares. In 36 years, the population has doubled while the total cultivable area has been reduced by a third. Now it is necessary to take measures to increase cultivable land. The borders of the agricultural land to segregate plots, waste a considerable land. But in Chittagong, beans and vegetables are grown on the borders. This system of cultivation across the country can increase cultivable land. All these matters do have been bearings on our needs to raise food production were rightly noted by the army chief in his article. Quoting the Icelandic President, he wrote that owing to greenhouse effects, the global temperature would increase and the ice of Greenland would melt and to raise the sea level by seven meters. Professor Ainun Nishat in a recent article said that Bangladesh would not be affected by green house effect.
We do, indeed, need to take measures for multiple land use. For this, efforts are called for, to encourage the farmers to change the cropping pattern. Two or three crops are already grown a year in many places of Bangladesh which had earlier a single crop. In Faridpur district only in one year an additional twelve thousand hectares of land and in Sylhet an additional forty three thousand hectares were brought under cultivation, increasing the output two to three times. In Faridpur district, planted 'Aman paddy' grown alongside jute gave an additional 50 thousand metric tons of rice. Introduction of this system in 64 districts of the country with the help of Rice Research Institute and Ministry of Agriculture, could double the cultivable land of the country.
High breed seeds, as the army chief noted, can easily raise output to 10 tons compared to 2.5 tons yield of HYV. Many private entrepreneurs have, in the meantime, started supplying high breed seeds for better results.
Easy accessibility of agricultural equipment deserves here a priority attention. At present, the peasants are being harassed in many ways. This was pointed out by the army chief in his afore-mentioned article. They have to borrow funds at high rates of interest and as such the lion's share of their output goes to repay the loans. The loans squeeze the helpless farmers. We need to find a way out of this distress. In some places, the country's armed forces played a pro-active role in the recent times by intervention, in order to help encourage sales of the crops at prices two or three times higher than the lenders' price. To replace this temporary measure, a permanent measure is now needed to protect the interests of the helpless farmers.
The activities of agriculture extension network in the country has been extended to the grassroots but agriculture officers and staff in districts and upazillas are not still accountable to the appropriate authorities. Only the private initiative, without government patronisation, is not enough for development of agriculture. The efficient, hard working, sincere and devoted officers and staff in the related agricultural departments or extension services have to be given proper recognition for their good work, with promotions, postings in good places as well as foreign trainings. For that matter, the deputy commissioners and the Nirbahee officers at the upazila, as suggested by General Moin, should be involved in this programmes.
Furthermore, we have to encourage actions to facilitate a change in our food habit. As 60 per cent of national budget is spent for importation of the items of daily necessities, any additional expenditure in the area would create a great pressure on the budget. For this, efforts to increase domestic production are critical. Against an annual requirement of rice and wheat of 26 million metric tons this year due to bumper Boro production, Bangladesh could produce 25.9 million metric tons of food grains. If we eat more potato to change food habit, we can contribute to reducing the pressure on rice. It would also make potato growers financially solvent. Here lies the importance of the slogan 'potato with rice in our every day food'. Furthermore, steps like inclusion of 'Kashaba,' a kind of African potato, the flour of which makes rice breads, can be relevant here. We need to learn the methods of learning Kasba production. Otherwise, the initiative to introduce Kashaba would fail, once again.
As a part of our broader efforts to help score sustainable progress in agricultural sector, we have to develop our pisciculture to increase fish export after meeting the domestic demand. This could make positive contribution to food security.
It should also be noted here at present oil seeds are grown in a total area of 450,000 hectares to get a total of 1,45,000 metric tons of edible oils. Bangladesh imports 600,000 tons of edible oil per annum, spending taka in foreign exchange. Furthermore, we can also grow oil palm, instead of importing edible oil.
If the current population growth continues, the population of the country will reach 210 million by 2037. It is time for us to seriously ponder over how we will feed extra 60 million people and where we will provide them shelter. 'One child' policy gave China a solution but Bangladesh's failure to control population is a threat to its existence. Bangladesh has to be successful in population control at any cost. For this, we do all need to work together to solve this problem.
The country has otherwise huge potentials. The people not only face natural or man-made calamities with fortitude and courage but also work hard to feed the country. Last year when the global food crisis led people of many countries to agitate fiercely, the farmers of Bangladesh tackled the crisis with greater productivity.
The people of Bangladesh are capable of achieving national prosperity. They can achieve food security and, thus, strengthen national security to develop the country in all respects.
(The writer is a former vice president and is FBCCI chairman of Eastern University)