Govt urged to provide allout help to cyclone-hit farmers
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
FE Report
The government should provide package facilities including adequate agricultural loan, quality seeds, fertiliser, low-lift pumps for irrigation and tillage equipment immediately to the farmers in the Sidr-hit areas to overcome the agricultural output losses.
If the government fails to provide these facilities, the country can face 1.0 to 1.1 million tonnes of food deficit this fiscal due to the extent of damage to different crops particularly the Aman rice by the recent cyclone Sidr in the country's south and southwestern region.
These were revealed at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)'s survey findings on "Issues for post-Sidr agricultural rehabilitation insights from farmers' consultation".
The executive director (ED) of the CPD, Prof Mustafizur Rahman, ED of the BRAC, Dr Mahbub Hossain and senior research fellow of the CPD Uttam Deb briefed journalists on the survey findings at the CPD office in Dhaka Monday.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in association with the Building Resource Across Communities (BRAC) made the survey.
A survey team comprising members from CPD and BRAC visited four of the most affected districts: Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur and Bagerhat.
When asked about government's agricultural rehabilitation programme in the Sidr-affected areas, Dr Mahbub Hossain said, only supply of seeds and fertiliser to the affected farmers would not help to overcome the agricultural losses, it must plan a package programme under which all kinds of support will be available for the farmers.
He warned if the government did not provide the above facilities to the farmer on time, the country could face a total of 3.0 to 3.5 million tonnes of food deficit this fiscal.
The BRAC ED said food deficit in the country ranges between 1.0 to 1.5 million tonnes every year. In addition, the recurrent flood and devastating cyclone will increase the deficit by additional 1.0 million tonnes.
"We consulted with the farmers in the four most affected districts. They sought seeds, fertiliser, irrigational implements and concessional agricultural credit. If those are provided immediately they will overcome from the losses," he said.
Dr Hossain said: "We think if the government provides Tk 8000-Tk 10,000 loan on an average against the two bighas of land and provide other facilities, the farmers will be able to recover their losses by cultivating high yielding varieties (HYV) of boro rice, maize etc."
The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can also provide concessional loan with a grace period of minimum six months to the affected farmers, he opined.
Dr Hossain further suggested the government to open fertiliser markets instead of current controlled supply system to make the agricultural input available to the farmers' level.
Quoting the requirement of fish farmers, the BRAC executive director also advised the government to provide Tk 20,000-Tk 50,000 loan to each farmer against one-bigha ponds.
When asked about the possible threat on country's food security, CPD's Executive Director Prof Rahman, said the government has to ensure food to all the people in the country besides increasing the local food production.
"Since the price of rice in the global markets is high, the government's best option is to produce more rice in the country."
If the government can draw up proper plans for necessary rehabilitation programme, there will not be a big pressure on the country's macro economy, Prof Rahman believed.
The government should provide package facilities including adequate agricultural loan, quality seeds, fertiliser, low-lift pumps for irrigation and tillage equipment immediately to the farmers in the Sidr-hit areas to overcome the agricultural output losses.
If the government fails to provide these facilities, the country can face 1.0 to 1.1 million tonnes of food deficit this fiscal due to the extent of damage to different crops particularly the Aman rice by the recent cyclone Sidr in the country's south and southwestern region.
These were revealed at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD)'s survey findings on "Issues for post-Sidr agricultural rehabilitation insights from farmers' consultation".
The executive director (ED) of the CPD, Prof Mustafizur Rahman, ED of the BRAC, Dr Mahbub Hossain and senior research fellow of the CPD Uttam Deb briefed journalists on the survey findings at the CPD office in Dhaka Monday.
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in association with the Building Resource Across Communities (BRAC) made the survey.
A survey team comprising members from CPD and BRAC visited four of the most affected districts: Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur and Bagerhat.
When asked about government's agricultural rehabilitation programme in the Sidr-affected areas, Dr Mahbub Hossain said, only supply of seeds and fertiliser to the affected farmers would not help to overcome the agricultural losses, it must plan a package programme under which all kinds of support will be available for the farmers.
He warned if the government did not provide the above facilities to the farmer on time, the country could face a total of 3.0 to 3.5 million tonnes of food deficit this fiscal.
The BRAC ED said food deficit in the country ranges between 1.0 to 1.5 million tonnes every year. In addition, the recurrent flood and devastating cyclone will increase the deficit by additional 1.0 million tonnes.
"We consulted with the farmers in the four most affected districts. They sought seeds, fertiliser, irrigational implements and concessional agricultural credit. If those are provided immediately they will overcome from the losses," he said.
Dr Hossain said: "We think if the government provides Tk 8000-Tk 10,000 loan on an average against the two bighas of land and provide other facilities, the farmers will be able to recover their losses by cultivating high yielding varieties (HYV) of boro rice, maize etc."
The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can also provide concessional loan with a grace period of minimum six months to the affected farmers, he opined.
Dr Hossain further suggested the government to open fertiliser markets instead of current controlled supply system to make the agricultural input available to the farmers' level.
Quoting the requirement of fish farmers, the BRAC executive director also advised the government to provide Tk 20,000-Tk 50,000 loan to each farmer against one-bigha ponds.
When asked about the possible threat on country's food security, CPD's Executive Director Prof Rahman, said the government has to ensure food to all the people in the country besides increasing the local food production.
"Since the price of rice in the global markets is high, the government's best option is to produce more rice in the country."
If the government can draw up proper plans for necessary rehabilitation programme, there will not be a big pressure on the country's macro economy, Prof Rahman believed.