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PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH “LANDLESSNESS” & “LAND TENURE POLICIES”: Two of the vital problems facing the agri-sector are associated with Landlessness of the farmers and problems in Land tenure police. It is often observed in our country that the farmers lost their land due to river erosion and thus they become landless. This causes a great problem both for them as well as for the country as they become unemployed and hence dependent on others. Moreover, flaws in Land Tenure Policies more oftenly deprive true farmers from getting their benefits. Such problems are of great concern in achieving modern agri-sector for Bangladesh.
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INSUFFICIENT INDUSTRIAL GROWTH: In sufficient industrial growth has been a major barrier towards the flourishment of agricultural sector. Both agri and industrial sector are interdependent in nature. Industrial sector absorbs food and raw materials from the agri-sector. In turn agricultural sector buys equipments and inputs from the former. Therefore, the expansion of industrial sector will result in the supply of agri-equipments at low prices, which will lead to a boost in productivity of agri-sector. As the industrial sector in Bangladesh is limited, agricultural sector cannot expand as expected.
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IMPEDIMENTS REGARDING EXPORTS: Agricultural community is unable to increase export overnight even if there is an increase in the production of agri-commodities due to protectionism. Developing countries like Bangladesh find it extremely difficult to enter into the markets of developed countries where protection is given to their own farmers like “Common Agricultural Policy” in EU member countries.
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ADVERSE EFFECTS ON AGRI-ENVIRONMENT: Agri-environment in the country has changed over the years because of persistent flooding of rice fields and rice monoculture. Second generation problems such as land degradation, pollution of water bodies and salinization have adversely affected Bangladesh agriculture. Flood in the wet season and drought in the dry season in the same area has damaged agricultural production. Diminishing soil productivity is the single most important factor that is severely restricting agri-production.
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LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY & GENETIC EROSION: Biodiversity is now recognized worldwide as a major factor in identification of novel gene pools for use in developing transgenic plants and in traditional breeding programs. These genes are becoming extinct due to the continuous cultivation of limited high yielding varieties of uniform genotypes.
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PRODUCTION CONTRIBUTING INPUTS VURSES ENVIRONMENTAL OVERENTHUSIASM: Recently there has been a surge in a section of environmental enthusiasts who openly criticize the use of chemical fertilizers. They do not pay any attention to the location and needs of the farming lands. In tropical places like Bangladesh repeated cropping, heavy rainfall and erosion of topsoil deplete soil nutrients. This soil nutrients need to be replenished with the addition of fertilizers or else there might be irreversible degradation of a large portion of land resources that in turn may lead to even starvation.
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INSTITUTIONAL SETUP FOR PROVIDING AGRI-SUPPORT ACTIVITIES: To ensure the adequate and proper development of agri-sector institutional setup is of prime importance. It has to be arranged in both public and private sector. However, capacity provides farmers with advisory services in an efficient manner and their timely access to inputs notably quality seeds is another area demanding further consideration. Farmers’ lack of access to institutional credit is also a major impediment. It is the fact for which they do not want to engage in agriculture beyond subsistence level.
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INSTITUTIONAL SETUP FOR PERFORMING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: Research activities always play a pivotal role in any sector regardless of its kind. Therefore, needless to say, institutional setup for providing support through research works in agri-sector is of utmost importance. But there is insufficient investment and facilities in this sector. This problem has to be taken care of.
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INADEQUATE INVESTMENT IN R&D: As stated above, research & development plays a crucial role in increasing agricultural productivity. The research agenda encompasses less of knowledge intensive and upstream research activities. But there is inadequate investment in facilities and human resources in frontier areas of biotechnology and information technology.
Solutions to problems in Agricultural sector:
Government needs to take proper measures to eradicate the problems facing the agri-sector. Some short and long term suggestions to resolve the problems are given below.
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POPULATION GROWTH: Several measures must be simultaneously formulated and carried out to check the high population growth rate in Bangladesh. Production of food grains must be increased in anticipation with the ever-increasing population. Newer and more improved high breed seeds should be introduced whose cropping period is shorter and is more resistant to weather conditions. Also government must chalk out programs to increase the awareness of the benefits of family planning among the villagers and more specifically among the farming community. The government can also carry out these policies along with the NGO’s. The most important manner in which government can tackle the problem of population growth would be to increase off-farm activities. Agriculture has the unique ability to absorb excess labor whether it is skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled. Therefore this excess labor should be employed in offshore activities to increase the income of farmers. This will increase the purchasing power of the farmers thus reduce the dependency thereby reduce the tremendous pressure on agri-sector regarding food.
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EDUCATION FOR FARMERS: Education can uphold the position of the farmers in the eyes of society. With increasing levels of education among the farming community, orientation and outlook of the society will change towards them. Society will show more respect to the farming community. The government & the NGO’s must jointly carry out the programme of spreading education among farmers, as it is one of the mightiest problems concerning agri-sector of Bangladesh. Also investment in education and vocational training would be critically important for introduction of knowledge-intensive technologies like integrated irrigation management, integrated pest management & integrated soil nutrient management.
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PROMOTION OF OFF-FARM ACTIVITIES TO REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM: In order to reduce the unemployment problem, which is pulling the agri-sector behind, government must try to promote off-farm activities. Through this utilization of spear labors in agri-sector will take place. This will also reduce the dependency ratio. Off-farm activities include processing, handicraft, cottage industries etc. By increasing educational level among farmers and by helping them to acquire new skills their productivity will increase, which in turn will lead to higher income.
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GTOVERNMENT INITIATIVE TO REFORM “LAND TENURE POLICIES” & “LANDLESSNESS” PROBLEM: As stated in the problem section above, Landlessness of the true farmers causes a drawback in the agri-sector. Therefore, steps must be taken to resolve this problem, which calls for some policy measures. Moreover, Land Tenure Policies must also be revised in order to ensure proper benefits accorded to the farmers. Such reform may include policy like- a) Exemption of rem taxes on farming lands, b) Reformed crop sharing pattern etc.
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GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO PROMOTE EFFICIENT MARKETING SYSTEM: In order to change the status of low-income of the farmers, government must take effective measures and policies to reduce the fluctuations of agri-product prices. Government must develop an efficient marketing system where there will be less price fluctuation and farmers will not have to sell their goods at the losing price. Government may also enact policies thereby ensuring a minimum price or “Price floor” in the market. Thus farmers will become more commercial and move away from subsistence mode of farming.
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MODERNIZATION THROUGH MECHANIZATION OF AGRICULTURE TO SOME EXTENT: One of the greater lacking of the agri-sector in Bangladesh is its inability to allure educated youth. Every year, large number of students graduate from colleges and universities, but only a small proportion of these graduates enter the agricultural sector. A graduate cannot bring himself to terms to till the land with an ox-driven plough. But the same student would not mind doing the same job if he were provided with a tractor. So, mechanization of agriculture should be carried out to some extent, to attract the educated youth. Government may provide them with modern agricultural equipments at low rates of interest or at a heavily subsidized price.
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PROMOTION OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH: Government in order to boost agricultural production must pursue a policy, which promotes industrial growth. By pursuing a policy which includes a) Low-interest loans, b) Offering of tax holidays, c) Discount on cost of industrial plots, d) Privatization, etc. government can encourage an actively promoting greater industrialization. This in turn will stimulate greater agricultural production, as the industrial sector will be able to sell agricultural equipments and inputs at a much lower price. Moreover, it will also be able to absorb greater amount of food and raw materials from the agri-sector at a much lower price as well. The growth of the industrial sector will promote the production of agricultural sector, as they are interdependent by nature.
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PROMOTION OF EXPORT OF AGRICULTURAL GOODS: The government must follow export-oriented policies of agri-commodities. They must find way of gaining access to the foreign markets for their exports. They may lobby against protection measures given by developed countries to their agri-markets through the WTO and other related international bodies. Also, government must be constantly in search of new markets for expansion of trade for exportable agri-commodities. Government should also diversify the range and variety of agri-exports to the international markets, so that the fluctuation in the price of any one commodity may not cause a drastic imbalance in terms of trade. Hence its export earnings will not be adversely affected and thus the farming community will be protected.
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DEVALUATION OF THE CURRENCY: Devaluation of the local currency will provide the farmers with the opportunity to increase the amount of export of agri-products. In turn, it will also reduce the incentive to import the food grain products. However, such measure will also stimulate the production of food grains. This will also cause an alteration in the mindset of subsistent farmers to move towards more commercial mode of farming. In a caution note it must be said that this measure will only be appropriate when the country is self-sufficient in food products and has a substantial amount of surplus.
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ECOLOGICAL SAFEGRUADS: In order to check the adverse affects in agri-environment, ecological safeguards have to be implemented. In the past, attempts to increase the agri-productivity have been at the expense of impoverishment of our land, water and forest resources. Therefore, while developing new technologies for increasing agri-production emphasis must be laid on conservation of land resources, arresting degradation of land and maintenance of soil fertility, conservation of plant and animal germplasm and water and forest resources.
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PREVENTION OF LOSS OF BOI-DIVERSITY AND GENETIC EROSION: In order to prevent loss of bio-diversity and genetic erosion, government must carry out series of environment friendly programs such as, integrated soil nutrient management, soil health service to the farmers, integrated pest management, preparation of compost in homestead and crop land, crop diversification and promotion of use of more organic manure. This is done with a view of reversing the current negative trend of using imbalanced amount of chemical fertilizers. This will restore soil fertility status. Despite several limitations government has to sustain agri-productivity and conserve bio-diversity with frontier technologies of the century.
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INSTITUTIONAL SETUP FOR PROVIDING AGRI-SUPPORT ACTIVITIES: The institutional setup should be arranged in a way as to have the capacity to provide farmers advisory services in an efficient manner. It is also needed to provide farmers with timely access to inputs notably quality seeds and micro credits. More precisely institutional credits should be made easily available to the farmers. Government must try to imitate the success of NGO’s like “Grameen Bank” and “ADAB” which provide micro credit at village level. Only then there will be an alteration in the farmers’ mindset and will slowly move away from subsistence to more commercial mode of farming. As institutional setup has to be arranged in both public and private sector, government needs to initiate immediately a series of alterations in the fiscal policy, reforms in tax administration, investment in infrastructure and utilities to make the private sector more competitive. Government must also encourage the private sector to play an ever increasingly important role in the agri-sector.
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INSTITUTIONAL SETUP FOR PERFORMING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: Fortunately in Bangladesh so far institutions like- Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) have been carrying out research activities to enhance the productivity of agri-sector. To be more precise, research done by BAEC helped enormously in attaining self-sufficiency in food production for the last three years. Though research works are being conducted by these institutions, lack of proper investment and environment conditions can still be seen there. To enrich research activities done by these institutions such problems should immediately be taken care of. This will in turn help the agri-sector to attain continued self-sufficiency in food grain production. Moreover, similar institutions should be established in private sector as well.
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GREATER INVESTMENT IN R&D: The investment in research is inadequate, if not low. As measured by agri-research expenditures as a percentage of agri GDP- the figure is only 0.46% at present. Investment in research from government budget should be increased from 0.46% to 2% of the GDP. This would in turn make the domestic production capable to meet the ever-growing demand for food. More investment in biotechnology R&D both in public and private sector is needed to get the private sector actively involved in product development and take a leading role in trade and commercialization of bio-technical products. The agri-research agenda must respond to the problems like food insecurity, poverty, resource and environmental degradation. Along with disciplined oriented research, emphasis must be played on more holistic research materials that explore the linkage between crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry and the wise use of natural resources including water and soil. Therefore, a strong research capacity must be developed including NARS, NGO’s, universities and the private sector.
Segregating the Long & Short term policies:
Most of the above-mentioned solutions are long term in nature while a few of them are short term in nature. Policies like-
- Reducing population growth problem,
- Promoting education for farmers,
- Promoting industrial growth,
- Reforming efficient market structure,
- Modernizing agriculture,
- Reforming institutional setup for both agri-support activities & research activities,
- Taking steps for ecological safeguards,
- Preventing loss of bio-diversity & genetic erosion, and
- Investing more in R&D
are of Long-Term in nature. However, policies like-
- Devaluating local currency in order to promote agri-exports, and
- Promoting off-farm activities
are of Short-Term in nature. However, it would be advisable for the government to implement these policies simultaneously rather than implementing them one at a time no matter whether they are short or long term in nature. All these reforms make a complete package in itself. By implementing the policies simultaneously many of the earlier stated key problems facing the Bangladeshi agricultural sector would be removed by a large extent. However, by reducing the time lack between policy review, examination and implementation faster results can be expected. If these policies are successfully implemented then the problems entangling the agri-sector will be largely eradicated. This in turn will make the agri-sector better off and prosperous. As two thirds of the working population is involved in agriculture in Bangladesh, it can be expected that there will be increased economic development and social welfare for the country as a whole.
Vision for Bangladesh Agriculture
The strategic plan for the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) to the year 2010 and beyond examined the demand and supply side issues in Bangladesh agriculture in a framework consisting of the following:
The size of the country’s population is calculated to grow to 132.42 ml. in 2000, 153.44 ml. in 2010, 172.90 ml. in 2020, and 191.09 ml. in 2030. The income-induced demand growth has been expected assuming two rates of per capita income growth at household level- 2% and 3%. The share of animal products in food consumption is likely to increase from a level of around 9.1% to 13.2% at 2% per capita income growth rate and to 15.2% at 3% income growth rate by the year 2030. A projected food demand by 2030 stands at 86.35-110.23 MT, a 2.7 to 3.4-fold increase from the base line consumption of 32.07 MT in 1990.
An annual production rate of 2.34-2.77% would be needed to meet the demand for cereals by the turn of the century and 1.59-1.94% by 2020-2030. For a range of non-cereal plant foods the initial growth rates needed are likely to be higher. This also projected to follow a gradual slowdown but still at higher level than that required by cereals. Substantially higher production growth rates would be required to meet the demand for food products of animal origin 3.62-4.72% by 2010 and 3.07-4.02% by 2030.
Inevitably significant and continued investment in research and technology development would be needed to achieve this goal. However, these alone cannot increase production and productivity of agri-sector. There is need for suitable policies to develop production system, which makes proper use of science and technology.
Conclusion:
Like the “Green Revolution” package, the solutions stated above forms a comprehensive package in itself. It is developed with the central objective of removing or greatly reducing the problems plaguing the agri-sector of Bangladesh, which are preventing economic growth and development of the economy as a whole. However, to carry out these policies bureaucratic Red-file hindrance must be reduced. This is because of the procrastination, which originates from this bureaucratic red-file incidence. As farming community plays a significant and active role in the economy of Bangladesh improvement of her agri-sector is a must. Only a prosperous agri-sector would pave the way for greater economic development and increased level of well-being for the citizens of the country as the economic progress and prosperity of Bangladesh are inextricably related to the performance of her agri-sector.