More allocation for agriculture

Agricultural experts and economists have convincingly argued in favour of increased budgetary allocation for the country's agricultural sector. Whether this will be enough for the purpose is yet to be known. Against the declining share of agriculture in the budgetary outlay, though, farmers can only hope against hope. But those poultry farmers and potato and vegetable growers who had to incur losses on account of the three-month-long blockade and intermittent strikes surely have a case in their favour. Farmers have proved what they are capable of by transforming a food-deficit country into a food-surplus one, but they are increasingly going unrewarded. They are turning to cultivation of exotic crops in the hope of overcoming reversals. In some areas like cultivation of strawberry, sunflower and maize their success has been fast and startling.
If the trend continues, farmers will move out of their traditional cropping pattern to a more diversified one where cash crops will fetch them far more financial rewards. For example, maize yield in the country's north has been very high and farmers are happy because the price too is good. In this land-scarce country, this trend can be self-defeating in the ultimate analysis. Supposing farmers turn their back to rice and potato cultivation because these crops do not leave them any profit margin, this can really spell a disaster for the country in the near future. The developed countries have long encountered the difficulty of keeping farmers in agriculture and they found a solution to the problem by dishing out subsidies in various forms. This is despite the fact that such countries are against subsidies.
In Bangladesh the problem is taking a similar shape. But it would be suicidal not to keep in mind the fact that countries like the United States of America have no dearth of land and this country is not endowed with such land resources. Bumper rice harvest in consecutive years has perhaps allowed the policy-makers the luxury of becoming indifferent to the sufferings of farmers. The scenario can transform for the worse if a season's Boro crop fails due to some natural calamity.
Agricultural scientists and researchers have given an amazing account of themselves by introducing high-yielding paddies and a number of crops and fruits. The farmers too were able to adopt those very efficiently. Now more needs to be done. Actually the major part of the agricultural allocation goes to indirect subsidies. Farmers who sustain losses for no fault of their own but because of reasons the government cannot address, certainly deserve cash subsidy that should also be well-targeted. At the same time, more budgetary fund should be made available for agricultural research and experiment in the context of global warming. Agricultural land is fast shrinking and the attempt should be to increase more yield than before. Even, it will prove inadequate in the future when the population size is more than double. So there is need for a comprehensive plan with the available land detailing where what crops should be grown.