Agriculture Policy and Major Areas for Research and Development in Bangladesh
Agriculture Policy and Major Areas for Research and Development in Bangladesh
Sushan Chowhan1,2*, Md. Moshiur Rahman3, Razia Sultana4,5, Md. Abdur Rouf6, Majharul Islam7 and Sharmin Ara Jannat8
ABSTRACT
Since gaining independence, Bangladesh’s agricultural sector has made significant strides in production and yield, ensuring food self-sufficiency through the adoption of advanced technologies and policy improvements. However, despite these progressions, the sector still faces considerable challenges, including climate change, land shortage, and ecosystem stresses. These pressing issues necessitate the implementation of robust agricultural policies and focused research and development (R and D) across the crops, fisheries, and livestock sectors to maintain food security. This review aims to examine the current state of agricultural policies and R and D, highlighting crucial areas for future R and D within the crops, fisheries, and livestock sectors. It is noteworthy that existing policies primarily favour producers and agro-entrepreneurs. The government has implemented several measures to incentivize and stimulate the growth of the overall agricultural sector. An examination of the broader agricultural sectors crops, fisheries, and livestock over the past two years (2021-2022) indicates that yield and production have remained stable. This suggests a need to adapt R and D strategies in order to stimulate growth in certain sub-sectors and reduce reliance on food and produce imports. Key R and D areas in the crop sectors include protecting arable land, implementing appropriate climate change strategies, improving fertilizer, water, and pest management, ensuring seed quality, developing a sustainable and dependable supply chain for producers and consumers, and allocating an adequate R and D budget. Finally, to eradicate hunger and malnutrition and ensure sustained food security, it is essential to address problems at the grassroots level, rather than focusing solely on R and D. Emphasizing grassroots solutions can pave the way to a more resilient and self-sufficient agricultural sector.
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