Performance impressive but serious challenges lie ahead

This writer had the privilege of working with Dr. Harry David Catling for nearly seven years when he was serving as the IRRI (International Rice research Institute) Country Representative for Bangladesh from, 1973 through 1981. A specialist in agriculture, Dr. Catling commands a unique wealth of experience working in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia. Spread over four decades he advised the host governments on agriculture, especially rice, and interacting intensely with national level scientists and several research organizations. He had special interests in the development of agriculture in Bangladesh and the entire region of Bengal. Not only that, he has always been deeply interested in our culture, language including the simplistic ways of living of the people in our rural areas. He has traveled and worked in the farmers fields more extensively compared to many of our researchers. When he contacted this order in July last year and expressed his desire to come and visit Bangladesh one more time and see for himself the country's state of agriculture development, the latter was simply delighted. He finally came to Bangladesh on October 20 and stayed as our house guest through October of 30. He was visiting the country after long 25 years or so. Even at 74 during the entire 10 days of his stay, he visited and talked to a number of senior researchers at the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC) and Sher-e- Bangla Agriculture College and University. Dr. Catling is a scientist with a difference. He is highly committed, honest to the core, both professionally and otherwise. He had a kind of rapport with farmers in the fields which this scribe is yet to come across. For nearly two days before departure, we had an intensive conversation with him about his impressions on the overall state of our agriculture and its future. It is our impression that observations made by him would be of vital interest to those interested in the development of our agriculture, leading to self sufficiency in food production particularly rice. We are only stating here the key issues on which we sought his observations; his impressions of Bangladesh in general, agriculture development and support by government, national food security and bottlenecks in producing more food grains. Here is what he had to say. On Bangladesh in general: Bangladesh to day is evermore densely populated, there is higher pressure on the land and is poorer than Thailand, South Korea and probably West Bengal. However, there have been enormous developments since 1970s and 1980s; rapid urbanization and industrialization causing an alarming loss of agricultural land and dramatic changes in land use particularly near urban centers. Large areas of fertile farm land are simply being lost to the cities for ever. Dhaka is now like an enormous Octopus steadily pushing out tentacles along all major roads and river banks -- the city appears to be totally out of control with high-rise buildings going up anywhere and severe traffic seizure. There is a booming garment industry, manufacturing a variety of value-added export products. Natural gas is used effectively to power all road transport, supply cooking gas and for manufacturing fertilizer. Although there is fear that considering its extensive use and the pace of its extraction from prospective fields and the lack of development and maintenance of its distribution network, gas supply may prove to be rather critical in not too distant a future. Bangladeshis as ever remain vibrant, hospitable to foreigners and are still great conversationalists. Agriculture development and support by government: Agricultural R and D (research and development) has been an unqualified success. Locally bred rice varieties, mostly from BRRI, are grown widely by Bangladeshi farmers and BRRI varieties, along with irrigation and greater fertilizer use, is responsible for very impressive increase in rice production. These varieties and associated technology contributed 195 million tons of additional food grains. Between 1973 and 1993, the country achieved self-sufficiency in the 1980s. But there are several serious downsides to this development: 1. Rice has forced out valuable pulse and oilseed crops which now have to be imported in large quantities. 2. Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides is adversely affecting human health and poisoning the environment. 3. Valuable additional crop varieties are being lost including many floating rice that were important in the past. 4. And in some areas there is the tragedy of arsenic poisoning from ground water, though no fault of R and D. Over the last 20 years or so, government has apparently supported rice research adequately and is now listening to the views and recommendations of Bangladeshi scientists. It is imperative that this relationship is continued as the pressure grows for more food from diminishing farmland. National food security: Bangladesh is a prime example of a developing country striving for food security in the face of increasing population pressure. It is probably the most extreme case in the world, and will be closely watched by other countries. Compared to Thailand, South Korea and Cambodia, it has fertile soils, high rainfall, valuable cropping systems, versatile farmers and over the last 40 years has been well supported by agricultural research. But rising population and rapid industrialization are increasing pressure. What is more, no one knows how global warming and rise in sea level will affect the fertile low lands of Bangladesh. There is after all a limit to intensification of agriculture. Bottlenecks in producing more food grains: The first major bottleneck is the poor implementation of government regulations and guidelines for agriculture and the limited adoption of recommendations painstakingly developed for farmers. Farmers are completely at the mercy of the powerful agrochemical industry for the use of fertilisers especially pesticides, which are applied in excess and often unnecessary. Very few farmers have adopted the modern integrated pest management (IPM) approach where pesticides are used only as a last resort. Very few farmers follow BRRI's recommendations of managing their crop pests. In fact, the extension service is failing badly. Secondly, BRRI researchers are apparently not monitoring or studying what is happening in farmer's fields, especially in the intensively cropped areas under irrigation where fertilizer and pesticide use is highest. Researchers should be able to anticipate problems caused by new pests and crop maladies and should help preventing the unnecessary use of chemicals and environmental pollution. Thirdly, the uncontrolled loss of agricultural land is a cause for a serious concern. This scribe is not an agriculturist but the impressions that are formed after having prolonged interaction wit Dr. Catling would amply indicate that we are heading for difficult days in the development of our agriculture and food production. As he rightly puts it, there is a limit to intensification of agriculture leading to increased food production. Two things need our urgent attention: first put a stop to extensive and unplanned urbanization causing steady depletion of agricultural land and second, more effective and urgent measures have to be taken in our population control measures. The writer can be reached at e-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com