Dr. ForqanUddin Ahmed :
Diversification of agriculture in Bangladesh is manifestation of a shift of resources from rice to other cereal crops, from cereals to non-cereal crops, and from crops to non-crop agriculture. But are the farmers capable of effective and efficient agricultural diversification? Agriculture in India and other Asian countries is facing multiple and complex challenges which are expected to become more severe with the passage of time. Some of the major challenges are sustainability of natural resources, impact of climate change and decline in factor of productivity. Besides, the declining trend in size of land holding poses a serious challenge to the profitability and sustainability of farming. In view of the decline in per capita availability of land, it is imperative to develop strategies and agricultural technologies that enable adequate employment and income generation, especially for small-holders (farmers with <2.0 ha of land) who constitute the vast majority of the farming community in the developing world. No single farm enterprise, such as a typical mono-cropping system, is likely to be able to sustain the small-holder farmer. Integrated farming systems (IFS) are less risky if managed efficiently, as they benefit from synergisms among enterprises, diversity in produce, and environmental soundness. On this basis, IFS have been suggested for the development of small and marginal farms across Asia, and researchers have developed strategies which have benefited small-holder farmers by providing additional income and employment and minimizing risk. However, these IFS have not been promulgated and promoted effectively.
Bangladesh has made effective and sustainable gains in agriculture mainly through government policy support and the enterprising role and contribution of its farmers. Bangladesh’s agricultural efficiency is well manifested by exemplary success in food production, and efficient supply and distribution. Keeping in view the perspective to ensure sustainability of the agriculture sector and its potential to contribute to overall growth, there is a need to expand productivity on the one hand, and to assess its multiplier effect on the economy, on the other. Despite limitations in size, scale and magnitude, agriculture continues to support GDP growth through increasing rural income and employment, stimulate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) including agro-based industries, and an efficient blend of labour-intensive and limited capital-intensive manufacturing. Higher farming yield and productivity can generate additional resources that would enable expansion of agro-supportive services. To ensure sustainable and efficient contribution of agriculture to growth, there is a need to prioritise addressing the critical challenges and constraints that the sector faces.
Agricultural diversification depends on farmer’s condition. From a study, we see the problems and constraints with the following findings. The respondent farmers who cultivated different diversified crops faced various problems during farming. Their problems were linked with three major areas such as production, marketing and social. The major production related problems were infestation of insect and diseases (39%), lack of working capital (25%), low quality feed (18%), lack of HYV seed/sucker/chick/fingerling (17%), higher cost of production (15%), lack of drainage facility (9%), natural calamities (7%), and damage of roots & crops (6%). The major marketing related problems were higher price of feed (56%), higher price of vitamins and vaccine (42%), higher price of fertilizers (29%), lower price of outputs (17%), higher price of pesticides (13%), higher price of seed/ fingerlings/chick (11%), transportation problem (9%), adulteration of fertilizers and higher price of irrigation (8%). Finally, the scarcity of labour and its higher price (29%), load shading of electricity (18%), stealing of fruits (8%), and lack of training (4%) were associated with social problems. Non-diversified farmers were asked why they did not cultivate diversified crops in order to understand their opinion about the constraints of agricultural diversification in the study areas. The major constraints to agricultural diversification were lack of suitable land/land far away (45.3%), lack of own and sufficient capital (44.25), scarcity of labour and its higher price (26.4%), higher cost of production (24.7%), lack of fair price of the produces (17.5%), lack of training facility (9.2%), infestation of insects and diseases (8.9%), higher price of fertilizers (8.3%), and required higher labour (8.1%).
Media and community support and engagement has contributed to significant momentum to agriculture revitalisation and overall efficiency. This is well reflected through the programmes over the past three decades by media and development personality ShykhSeraj, through popularising policy dialogue based on farmers’ views, experiences and insights for incorporation in key national development strategies and programmes. On the one hand, this has facilitated mainstreaming agriculture in the comprehensive development discourse. This adds value to skills and entrepreneurship expansion and substantive stakeholder engagement. Finally we can say that Bangladesh is an agro-based country. It is time to prioritize the sector in terms of its agro-economy, agro-business and agro industrialization. More study research is a must for a healthy and sound condition of our agricultural sector. We cannot depend on traditional agro system. Industry imports should come from agriculture which will enrich our international trade market. We are hopeful of flourishing our country through agricultural diversification.
(The writer is former Deputy Director General, Bangladesh Ansar & VDP).
