Posted on 28th Nov 2024 01:18:03 AM Agriculture
1. Introduction
Bangladesh is one of the biggest deltas in the world. Most of its lands are made of the river sediment loads. Eight percent of its lands are very fertile and plain. It has come a great advantage for agriculture. The monsoon climate is one of the major factors for agricultural potentiality of Bangladesh. Different types of the land forms diversify its agricultural production. Three big river system and over 700 rivers flow through Bangladesh like a spider net. Agriculture has been very much potential for its climate, soils formation, physiography, river system, culture and entrepreneurs. For this agriculture has become an important sector in contributing Bangladesh economy. One-third contributions come from agricultural sector. Not only is that but also two-third population engaged in this sector (National Land Use Policy, 2001). For the development of this sector we have to give more emphasis. Our land, environment and culture are very much favorable for agriculture. We have to take these opportunities. Our population is gradually increasing and food for them we have to develop our agricultural sectors.
2. What is agriculture?
Etymologically agriculture the expression comes from a Latin term ‘Agricultura’ which has its origin in the words ‘ager’ meaning a field and ‘cultura’ meaning to culture or cultivate. So, agriculture means field cultivation. Watson’s Longman Modern English Dictionary (1976) defines the word agriculture as the science or the art or practice of large scale soil cultivation in order to produce crops. Humphrey’s American People Encyclopedia (1965) mentions ‘Agriculture’ the production of crops, livestock and its products.
3. A Brief History of Bangladesh Agriculture
From very ancient times agriculture has been the main source of the livelihood of the vast majority of the population of the country. The most important feature of the agrarian economy during the ancient, medieval and the British periods was that crop production remained the most dominant sub-sector. Three other sub-sectors of agriculture viz livestock, fisheries and forestry were relatively unimportant (Banglapedia, 2008). The dominant crops during the ancient period are paddy, sugarcane, jute, wheat, tobacco, onion, spices, tea, indigo, jower, barley, oilseeds, potato, garlic, opium etc. Rice is the most significant crop during ancient period. It is anticipated that the paddy cultivation has been started in Bengol before five thousand years ago from south- East Asia (Ghilam Morsgid, 2006). The earliest reference to this crop is found in the Mahasthan Brahmi Inscription belonging to the third or the second century BC (Banglapedia, 2008). This crop is also mentioned in several other literary sources: Kalidasa
Raghovngsa, Ramcharita, Casapala, and Saduktikarnamrita. It is anticipated from the pictures of the terracotta of Sompur Bihar that there was huge banana cultivation in this region. Chinies traveller, Hiuen Tsuang who vigited Bangla in 7th century AD mentioned the densely agricultural scenarios.
Agriculture during the Sultanate and Mughal periods Bengal agriculture experienced considerable expansion. Many of the place names with abad (for example, Fatahbad and Khalifabad) meaning "settled" or "cultivated" bear testimony to their settlement and cultivation during this period. Ibn Batuta vigited the east Bengal In the medaival period of the Bengal,. He saw water wheels, prosperous villages and gardens, 'as if we were passing through a market'. During Shaista Khan’s time Bernier came to Bengal. He noticed on both sides of the Ganges 'extremely fertile' fields producing a whole variety of crops. Abul Fazl informed us that a particular variety of rice was 'sown and reaped three times in the same year without little injury to the crop'. But this cannot be taken as an index of the general fertility of the land. The dominant crop was paddy like the ancient era. Modern agriculture is the main discussion of this topic. But in a historical discussion present agricultural scenario are given bellow.
According to the statistics of BBS 2006 the present scenario of the agricultural sector of Bangladesh is as follows:
Table-1: Agriculture of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Agriculture at a Glance
Total family : 17,600,804
Total farm holding : 15,089,000
Total area : 14.845million hectare
Forest : 2.599 million hectare
Cultivable land : 8.44 million hectare
Cultivable waste : 0.268 million hectare
Current fellow : 0.469 million hectare
Cropping intensity : 175.97%
Single cropped area : 2.851 million hectare
Double cropped area : 3.984 million hectare
Triple cropped area : 0.974 million hectare
Net cropped area : 7.809 million hectare
Total cropped area : 13.742 million hectare
Contribution of agriculture sector to GDP : 23.50%
Contribution of crop sector to GDP : 13.44%
Manpower in agriculture : 62%
Total food crop demand : 23.029 million metric ton
Total food crop production : 27.787 million metric ton
Net production : 24.569 million metric ton
Source: BBS, 2006 and Handbook Agricultural Statistics, MoA
4. Agricultural Land Use Pattern of Bangladesh
Agricultural land use means use of land by human for cultivation. It includes the management and modification of natural environment like fields, pastures and settlement. According to the US geological survey only ten broad features can be found in a country (Ahmed, 2004). There are many land use pattern in our country. The broad categories are forest, water body, agricultural land, urban settlement, transport and communication, engineering features etc. Land use patterns are shown in table 2.
Table-2. Land Use Patterns f Bangladesh.
Major Land Use Patterns of Bangladesh Area in Sq. k.m.
Water Body 12545
Forest 19610
Cultivated Land 77600
Salt Beds 50
Rural Build up 7000
Non-cropped Area 8400
Urban Area 7000
Infrastructure 2100
Estuarine 8600
Total 147570
Source: Banglapeadia, edition cd 2009.
5. Agricultural Potentiality of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is very much suitable for agriculture. Agriculture is highly potential for its geographical location, land quality, river system, climate and physiography. We can discuss agricultural potentiality in various points of views. This are-
Soil potentiality of agriculture.
• Physiographic potentiality.
• Climatic potentiality.
• Drainage pattern potentiality and
• Cultural potentiality.
• Soil potentiality of agriculture.
The soils of Bangladesh are divided into three physiographic divisions and seven districted sub-division. Three physiographic divisions are-
• Hill soils – are constructed by tertiary rocks and unconsolidated tertiary Pleistocene terraces.
• Old alluvial soils – includes two tracts of Pleistocene terrace and the Madhupur-Barind
• The recent alluvial division- is consisted of river sediments load.
A statistics is given bellow to show the quality of land of Bangladesh.
Table- 3: Soil quality of Bangladesh.
Categories Area in sq.km. Percentage Quality Comments
Hill Soils 2278 12.77 Ph above 7 Not for cultivation
Pleistocene 108224 74.33 - Suitable for forest
Flood Plain/Recent Alluvial 11401 8.72 Ph 5.5 to 6.8
Not deficitant nutrients Good for cultivations
Source: Analysis of various BBS data
Here we conclude that near about 80% of total land is suitable for cultivation. So, soils are very much potential for Bangladesh agriculture.
Physiographic Potentiality:
Physiography is a statement of physical nature of a country like shape, size, elevation, arrangement of essential objects. Agricultural activates depends on physiography. Bangladesh is a typical floodplain except north and east boarder region. 73% of total land is 3 meters high from the mean sea level (MSL). This huge plain land has lessened the difficulty of agriculture activities. So, physiographic potentiality has helped to spread out agriculture.
Climatic Potentiality:
Water is tremendously essential for agriculture. Bangladesh is dominated by monsoon climate. Monsoon climate carries on huge amount of water from the sea to the land mass especially in the summer. When this saturated evaporation protected by the huge Himalayan range then heave rain falls down. Rainfall water flows through rivers. For this total flood plain land becomes suitable for agriculture and we yield various crops. So climate is viable for our agriculture.
Drainage pattern potentiality:
Bangladesh is called riverine country. Three big rivers system is exist there. Above 700 rivers flow through Bangladesh. Water of those rivers is used to cultivate the land. So drainage pattern is so much potential for Bangladesh.
Cultural potentiality:
Our people are engaged with agriculture perhaps beginning time of the agriculture. As an old or traditional occupation they gathered much indigenous knowledge to yield this. He became expert in agriculture. So his enrolment in agriculture becomes spontaneous.
6. Growth of Agriculture in Bangladesh
As an agro-dominant country from the primitive epoch Bangladesh agriculture is playing a significant role in our economy and food security. Although recent trends of our agricultural sectors are slightly decreasing, yet the direct collaborations in growth domestic production (GDP) is very much significant. Existing form of the recent growth of agriculture has been possible for invention of new technology, needs of food pressuring over population, agro-trade, transport and communication, agricultural policy, ago-goods preservations etc.
6.1 Growth of agriculture as a food
Bangladesh is the most densely population country in the world. Above 834 people live in per square kilometers (Population Census 2001). The main food of this population is rice and there is no alternative food except rice. Main causes of no alternative of food habit are suitability of rice production. Most of the lands of Bangladesh have high potentiality of rice production. The amount of food grains production in FY 2008-09 was 328.96 lakh metric tons. Of which various verities Aus, Aman, Boro, wheat and maize accounted for 18.95 lakh metric tons, 116.13 lakh metric tons, and 178.09 lakh metric tons, 8.49 lakh metric tons and 7.30 lakh metric tons respectively (see table 2) . According to BBS final estimate, the total food grains production in FY 2009-10 was 341.13 lakh metric tons of which Aus accounted for 17.09 lakh metric tons, Aman 122.07 lakh metric tonnes, and Boro 183.41 lakh metric tons. The Production of wheat and maize in FY 2009-10 stood at 9.69 lakh metric tons and 8.87(provisional) lakh metric tons respectively. The government took various steps to provide agro-inputs assistance, which include reduction of price of non-urea fertilizers (TSP, MOP, DAP etc.) and cash incentive for diesel.
Introduction of non-urea fertilizer ensured use of balanced fertilizers by the farmers. The favorable impacts of those steps in turn contributed to the increased yield of Boro. The following table-5 presents the food grains production status from FY 2004-05 to FY 2010-11:
Table-4: Production of Food Grain
(Lac metric ton)
Food crops 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Aus 15.00 17.45 15.12 15.07 18.95 17.09 25.00
Aman 98.20 108.10 108.41 96.62 116.13 122.07 132.00
Boro 138.37 139.75 149.65 177.62 178.09 183.41 186.50
Total rice 251.57 265.30 273.18 289.31 313.17 322.57 343.50
wheat 9.76 7.35 7.37 8.44 8.49 9.69 10.50
Bhutta 3.56 5.22 8.99 13.46 7.30 8.87 16.42
Total 264.89 277.87 289.54 311.21 328.96 341.13 370.42
Source: BBS, 2004-2010.
Source: Analyzing of above table.
For food security every nations have to diversify of food habit. Our cultures and religions little bit obstruct to be diversifying of food habit. We have a great opportunity to use our open sea resource for our food.
6.2 Growth of livestock and poultry in Bangladesh
Livestock and poultry are an important supply of animal protein of the country. Livestock is a traditional agricultural activity in this country from the very beginning time. The recent development of agriculture poultry has added a good supply of flesh protein. The table 4 portrays that the total production of livestock were 506.12 lakh metric tons in 2009-10. The growth of our agriculture is gradually increasing. Poultry is giving discontinuous protein supply all over the country. Total amount of poultry production was 270.12 lakh metric tons in 2009-10. Growth trend of poultry production is also increasing.
Table-5: Number of the Livestock and Poultry in Bangladesh (in lakh)
Livestock/Poultry
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Cattle 226.0 226.7 228.0 228.7 229.0 229.76 230.51
Buffalo 10.6 11.1 11.6 12.1 12.6 13.04 13.49
Goat 184.1 191.6 199.4 207.5 215.6 224.01 232.75
Sheep 23.8 24.7 25.7 26.8 27.8 28.77 29.77
Total
livestock
434.5 444.1 464.7 475.1 485 495.58 506.52
Chicken 1726. 3 1836.5 1948.2 2068.9 2124.7 2213.94 2280.35
Duck 364.0 372.8 381.7 390.8 398.4 412.34 426.77
Total Poultry 2090.3 2207.3 2329.9 2459.7 2523.1 2626.28 2707.12
Source: Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
6.3 Growth of Milk, meat and eggs
The production of milk, meat (beef, mutton and chicken) and eggs have been on the increase over the past several years. The following table summarizes the production statistics of milk, meat and eggs since FY 2003-04:
Table-6: Production of Milk, Meat and Eggs
Product unit Production
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Milk Million tons 1.99 2.14 2.27 2.28 2.65 2.29 2.37
Meat Million tons 0.91 1.06 1.13 1.04 1.04 1.08 1.26
Eggs million 4780 5623 5422 5369 5653.2 4692 5742.4
Source: Department of Livestock Services, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
6.4 Growth trend in production of fish
A number of projects and programmes have been undertaken to enhance protein supply through increased fish production. These include: Strengthening Community Based Aquaculture Extension, Ensuring the access of fishermen to the khas Jalmahals, Establishment of beel nursery and release of fish fries in the open water, Extension of gher, pane and cage culture, habitat restoration through re-excavation of silted rivers and innovation of new technologies through research and extension. According to the provisional report, the total fish production of the country stood at 28.99 lakh metric tonnes in FY 2009-10. The following table-7 shows the trend of fish production from FY 2003-04 to FY 2008-09.
Table-7: Fish Production Statistics from Different Sources
(In lac metric Tons)
Sector Area(lac Hector) 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
Inland 44.36 16.47 17.41 18.49 19.52 20.66 21.87 23.82
Marine - 4.55 4.75 4.80 4.87 4. 97 5.14 5.17
Total - 21.02 22.16 23.29 24.40 25.63 27.01 28.99
Source: Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
7. Agricultural Development of Bangladesh
Agricultural sector is one of the most important sectors in our economy. The huge population of the country is directly linked to the development of agriculture; there have been continued efforts by the Government for the overall development of this sector. Implementation of National Agriculture Extension Policy, National Seed Policy, and Integrated Pest Management Policy are underway to ensure overall development of agricultural sector. In order to increase agricultural production, special emphasis has been laid on building up a modern agricultural system, invention of new technology and creating greater opportunity for agricultural research. Furthermore, steps have been taken to increase subsidy on inputs to agriculture, ensure increased availability of agriculture inputs and irrigation facility as well as fair price of crops and agro-products to increase agricultural productivity.
7.1. Development through increasing irrigated Area
Irrigation is considered as an important input for agricultural development. Efforts have been continuing to ensure coordinated and planned use of underground and surface water, increase cropping intensity, diversify crop to ensure higher yield. For this purpose, a couple of projects were implemented in different regions of Bangladesh which include:
(1) Enhancement of agricultural production and rural employment through extension of agricultural engineering and technologies
(2) Pilot Project for agricultural production in Monga prone area through modern minor irrigation practices. Since the inception of minor irrigation projects (power pump, DTW, STW and floating pump etc.) in the early sixties, area under irrigation has been expanding. In 2009-10, area under irrigation stood at 56.9 lakh hectares. In FY 2003-04 it was 48.33 lakh hectares, which increased to 59.54 lakh hectares in 2008-09. BADC provided irrigation facilities to 4.75 lakh hectares of land in FY year 2005-06, 4.88 lakh hectares of land in FY 2006-07 and 4.95 lakh hectares of land in FY 2007-08 and 5 lakh hectares of land in FY 2008-09 through utilization of deep tube wells, shallow tube wells, floating pumps and low lift pumps as well as re-excavation of canals and construction of sluice gate and water control structures under different irrigation and area development projects. BADC has planned to provide irrigation facilities to 5.35 lakh hectares of land in 2010-11 and 5.55 lakh hectors of land in 2011-12 fiscal years, This is for the first time that 36 minor irrigation programs are being implemented all over the country specifically in the water logged areas by BADC at an estimated cost of Tk. 31,344.26 lakh during the period from July, 09 to December, 10 to increase the agricultural production. The irrigated land area from FY 2002-03 to FY 2009-10 is shown in following table-8:
Table-8: Area under Irrigation
(Area in Hectare)
Irrigation Method 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10
(a) Surface
Major irrigation 48700 605570 785220 618549 637180 575150 1041000
LLP 766153 838377 803170 810027 1045115 1157037 894707
Indigenous Method 175200 107000 0 137064 0 43965 157867
Sub total of a 1428353 1550947 1588390 1565640 1682295 1776147 2093574
(b) Underground
Deep tube well 583692 654189 700662 725258 755210 790115 660260
Shallow tube well 2776557 3159899 3120607 3196127 3369897 3372338 2931181
others 44397 0 0 14403 0 15448 4518
Sub-total of b 3404646 3814088 3821269 3935788 4125107 4177901 3595959
Total (a+b) 4832999 5365035 5409659 5501428 5807402 5954048 5689533
Source: Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Ministry of Agriculture.
7.2. Budget Allocation for Agriculture Sector
To ensure the best agricultural production, poverty reduction and food security, the Government has allocated Tk. 7,404.71 crore in the revised budget of FY 2009-10 for the Ministry of Agriculture. A total of Tk. 895.18 crore has been allocated in the RADP for 49 on going programmes and a non-development outlay of Tk. 379.03 crore has been provided for programmes under the Ministry of Agriculture. With a view to assist the farmers in producing more crops, Tk.4,950 crore has been allocated in the budget for FY 2009-10 to give subsidy on fertilizer and for other agricultural inputs. In FY 2009-10 Tk. 4,922 crore was released as subsidy. Beside this, an allocation of Tk. 50 crore for agricultural rehabilitation was made in the budget for FY 2008-09.
7.3 Development of Agricultural Agency in Bangladesh
The following agencies provide services to the country's agricultural sector:
Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) at the apex, the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for achieving agricultural production goals and targets adopted by the government, sponsoring projects and programmes towards that end, providing necessary funding support through Annual Development Program (ADP).
Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) motivates farmers to adopt measures to achieve higher production, trains them up in modern techniques at the field level, adopts production programmes for various crops, and implements through its fieldforce spread out at the Union/Block levels.
Agriculture Information Service (AIS) an informative and educative agency dedicated to dissemination of information to farmers in general. It uses the materials developed by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the Central Extension Resource Development Institute (CERDI).
Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) it helps regulation of marketing of agricultural produces through dissemination of information on price, and quantity of various agricultural produces in important market centers, improvement of market conditions, and guaranteeing of fair prices to producers.
Cotton Development Board (CDB) set up to reduce the dependence of local spinning factories on imported raw cotton. The Board has already identified areas suitable for cotton cultivation
Seed Certification Agency (SCA) responsible for quality control and certification of seeds produced in the agriculture sector for crops such as paddy, wheat, jute, seed, potato and sugarcane.
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) it was set up in 1961 to make agricultural inputs like fertilisers, seeds, irrigation water, etc available to farmers on commercial basis
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) it coordinates planning prioritization of fieldwork and approval of agricultural research programmes and their funding. It was set up in 1973 and has its headquarters at Dhaka
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) standing on the relics of a similar institution functioning in undivided India, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute is based in at Joydebpur, Gazipur.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) established in 1970, BRRI carries out researches on all aspects of rice, including breeding of new varieties, improvement of yields, plant protection measures, fertiliser doses and cultivation practices. From its headquarters in Joydebpur, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute has set up outreach stations at different agroecological zones of the country.
Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) established in 1951, the BJRI conducts research on variety improvement and cultural practices for increased yields of jute.
Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) located at the premises of the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) at Mymensingh and established in 1973, BINA breeds crop varieties through application of atomic radiation
Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI) responsible for identification of soil characteristics, their classification, and property elements for suitability of crop production. It carries out soil surveys and tests throughout the country, publishes posters for agricultural scientists and farmers.
Agro-economic Research Unit (AERU) established in 1972, responsible for conducting macro and micro-economic research for national agricultural development planning and policies.
Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) founded in 1961, BAU offers graduate, post graduate, and Ph.D. level courses under faculties of Veterinary Science, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Economies, Rural Sociology, Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Fisheries, etc.
Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation (BFDC) established in 1964 to help the development of the fish industry (harvesting, processing and marketing) in the public and private sectors, covering with marine and fresh water species.
Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) founded in 1973 on the relics of the Agriculture Bank and Agricultural Development Finance Corporation; the BKB extends long and short term credit for agriculture and allied operations. It also works as a commercial bank.
Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) established in 1976, it controls sugar mills, and develops sugar and food processing industries in the public sector.
Central Extension Resources Development Institute (CERDI) eounded at Joydebpur, Gazipur to develop agricultural extension service messages through training and coordination of extension activities.
Directorate of Livestock Services (DLS) founded in 1947 to help augment the production of cattle and poultry resources of the country through research and extension activities as well as through improvement of breed, health and nutritional care.
Forest Research Institute (FRI) founded in 1955, the FRI is located at Shola Shahar, Chittagong. It conducts researches on the development of forests and the forest wealth of the country.
Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI) founded at Ishurdi in the district of Pabna in 1973. It conducts researches on improvement of sugarcane varieties, the cultural practices involved in sugarcane production, and application of inputs and extension methodology to reach growers.
8. Future Challenges of Bangladesh Agriculture
Losing of fertile land is the great challenge of the present agriculture in Bangladesh. We are making settlement and its infrastructure i.e. roads, transports etc for our over population destroying of those lands which are more suitable and more potential for agriculture. The per-capita availability of arable land is gradually declining. The present availability of net cultivable land is only 15 decimals per person in Bangladesh. Inelastic net cultivated area of about nine million hectares has a cropping intensity of 174.64%. Soil degradation occurs mainly due to erosion, nutrient depletion, and imbalance in fertilisation, water logging, deforestation, salinity and alkalinity. Not only these new houses and infrastructures are being made of bricks. These are made of top soil of our very fertile lands. These bricks industries are very much responsible for destroying the agricultural land. We have to overcome this problem and we have to obey the rules and regulations of land use principles. To protect the agricultural land we have to reduce population growth rate. Residential and commercial area should be separated according the town improvement act 1953.
Another future challenge of Bangladesh agriculture is unavailability of surface and ground water. Uses of surface water have been reduced. On the other hand, uses of ground water in irrigation increased. It is found in a statistics of 1982-1983 that more than 60% areas of agricultural lands are irrigated from surface water. But in 2002-03 more than 70% of lands are irrigated from ground water. For these pressures of huge uplift of ground water level has been pulled down rapidly especially north-west region of the country and made lands dry. This problem has been optimized for withdrawing of the Ganges water by neighboring country India. Sallow and hand tube well could not lift water from ground water especially during the summer. As a result, agricultural activities in the north-western region are not functioning properly.
We use more than 30 lack tons chemical fertilizer in our agricultural lands per year. Most of our farmers do not know the actual magnitudes of fertilizer in the field. They think that more fertilizer more yield. For these above reasons, negative impacts flourish on soil nutrition and soil nutrition does not recycle which is a great barrier for sustainable development of our agricultural sectors.
Sometimes farmers produce excess crops for good yielding. Agricultural commodities are rapidly perishable. During harvesting period price of those agricultural goods remain so low that farmer are faced great loses. There is no way to store the goods for a poor farmer. As a result, he/she buys his/her goods in cheap price in beginning of the season. A business group takes this opportunity. They stock these goods in cheap price and sell these in very high price after storing. To protect the farmers from this kind of loses govt. should collect ago-goods in reasonable price from the farmers in very beginning of the harvesting time.
Agriculture depends on climate. Climate change is a worldwide phenomenon although some scientists do not agree with the assumptions of Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). If the IPCC’s prediction comes into true then Bangladesh will be faced a great loses in food production and it will be create a dangerous food in security in the society. Most of our low lands will be submerged forever because of sea level rising. Not only will that but also magnitudes and frequencies of natural calamities be increased which is a great barrier in our agricultural sectors. To recovery this problem our agriculture has to adapt with the up-coming changing environment of nature. We have to invent the flood, drought and water endurance varieties of crops.
Agricultural research is an important challenge for future of modern agrarian system of the Bangladesh. Agricultural activities are gradually depending on modern technology. Bangladesh should set up agricultural research institute in its different climatic zones and existing agricultural institute have to straighten.
9. Conclusion
Agricultural sector is one of the unseen heroes in the economy of Bangladesh. Agricultural suitability of this country is the gift of nature. No sooner had the seeds gown in the field than the huge golden crops grew up. For this reason, Bangladesh is called ‘Sonar bangle’ i.e. Bengal of gold.
Agriculture of this golden land is now in danger. Agricultural land of this country is gradually losing her potentiality by various men made unscrupulous activities like erosion of top soil, surplus uses of pesticide and fertilizer, deforestation etc. It is quite impossible for a good land to get back her quality after losing it once time. Because, soil formation processes are a long term process in the earth system. We should obey our rules and regulations of agricultural land. Govt. should not take only the laws but also they should have taken strong steps to protect the agricultural mismanagement. We have to ensure the flows of water especially in the big rivers of our country in the summer season. We have to control our population growth rate because over population creates poverty and poverty destroys natural process. Govt. should given more care in this sector. Not only the authority but also common people should be aware about the significance of agricultural sectors. Then we can achieve our agricultural sustainability. Otherwise we cannot ensure food security in our national level.
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Article, Growth, Development, Bangladesh, Agriculture, Future, Challenges, BADC, Agricultural, Geography, Climatic, Potentiality
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