2009年-世界发展银行全球_Agriculture_in_Bangladesh___A_Note_on_Food_Security_by_Enhancing_Productivity_5页_199kb

Summary of Bangladesh's Agriculture and Food Security Strategy (2008 Election Manifesto)

I. Core Content

The 2008 Awami League (AL) Election Manifesto emphasizes the importance of agriculture in ensuring food security and reducing poverty in Bangladesh. The agricultural sector is vital for economic growth and rural livelihoods, employing over 60% of the labor force and sustaining more than 70% of the rural population. The sector's contribution to GDP has declined over time, from 30% in 1990 to 19% currently, while services and industry have grown significantly.

Food security in Bangladesh is threatened by low incomes, population growth, and a vulnerable natural resource base. To address this, the manifesto outlines a comprehensive strategy to enhance agricultural productivity, particularly in rice, and promote commercial agriculture and agri-business opportunities.

II. Main Challenges

• Food Insecurity: Widespread due to low income, population growth, and environmental vulnerabilities.
• Slow Agricultural Growth: Only 3% annual growth in the past decade, compared to 7% in manufacturing and 6% in services.
• Rice Production Constraints: Despite satisfactory current levels, demand is growing at 2-2.5% annually, requiring an increase of 330,000 MT per year to achieve self-sufficiency.
• Land Availability: Limited potential for expanding cultivated area, with about 1% of land lost annually to non-agricultural use.
• Inefficient Inputs and Subsidies: Issues include limited access to quality seeds and fertilizers, poor distribution networks, and inefficient subsidy administration.

III. Key Strategies to Enhance Food Security

1. Technology-Driven Productivity Gains

• Rice Productivity: Focus on hybrid seeds, rational input use, and improved crop management to increase yields from 2.5 mt/ha to 3.5–4.0 mt/ha.
• Research and Extension: Reorient research to meet farmer needs and develop resilient varieties for saline and Monga-affected areas. Strengthen extension systems to be more demand-driven and efficient.

2. Diversification and Commercialization

• High-Value Crops: Promote production of fruits, vegetables, livestock, and fisheries to increase rural incomes and employment.
• Agri-Business Development: Encourage value addition, market linkages, and public-private partnerships to support commercialization and profitability.

3. Fertilizer Management

• Availability and Access: Improve the timely and adequate supply of fertilizers to farmers.
• Balanced Use: Promote efficient and balanced fertilizer application to enhance productivity and prevent soil degradation. Techniques like Deep Urea Replacement should be scaled up.

4. Seed Quality and Distribution

• High-Yielding Varieties: Ensure availability and adoption of certified seeds for high-yield and resilient rice varieties.
• Seed Policy: Implement the updated National Seed Policy (1993, revised in 2004) to enhance seed production, processing, storage, and distribution.

5. Efficient Subsidy Administration

• Targeted Subsidies: Improve the coverage, targeting, and administration of production subsidies to benefit poor and marginal farmers.
• Fiscal Sustainability: Maintain subsidy levels while ensuring they are fiscally sustainable.

6. Infrastructure and Water Management

• Irrigation and Drainage: Invest in improved irrigation systems and coastal embankments to protect against salinity and flooding.
• Cropping Intensity: Increase cropping intensity by utilizing fallow lands and improving water use efficiency.

7. Rural Livelihood Support

• Community Groups: Support the formation of organized community groups to engage in income-generating activities.
• Market Infrastructure: Improve market access and information systems to link farmers with markets and enhance their economic participation.

IV. Ongoing World Bank Interventions

The World Bank is supporting several initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity and food security in Bangladesh:

• National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP): Aims to improve research and extension systems, link them with marketing, and form organized farmer groups.
• Water Management Improvement Project (WMIP): Focuses on flood control, irrigation, and drainage improvements with co-financing from the Netherlands and the Government.
• Social Investment Program Project (SIPP): Promotes rural livelihoods through community-based income generation activities.
• Emergency Cyclone Sidr Recovery and Restoration Project (ECRRP): Rehabilitates coastal embankments and supports sustainable agriculture in cyclone-prone areas.

These projects are part of a long-term 15-year program, with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in rice, improving food security, and promoting rural economic development.