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Problems and Prospects of Crop Diversification in Bangladesh

Sajjad Zohir
Research Fellow
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Achieving crop diversification has often been stressed as a major policy objective. Yet, past policies in the agriculture sector had promoted rice cultivation at the expense of minor crops. While static profitability analyzes indicate greater relative profitability of many non- cereal crops, risks in marketing these produce are found to be significantly high. More importantly, land characteristics are found to largely limit the expansion of area under these crops. Along with it, minor irrigation in Bangladesh is found to have favored cereal production, making the crop economy less diversified. In order to achieve greater diversification in the crop sector, future policies need to facilitate exports, promote agro-processing industries, and emphasize on research to develop field channel designs that will facilitate simultaneous production of both cereals and non-cereals within the same command area. Along with these, large scale investments on flood control and drainage, continued support for canal re- excavation, and more rational planning of rural housing are called for to increase the size of suitable land.

Keywords: Problems,Prospects,Crop diversification

Location:

Start Date: 00-00-1990

End Date: 00-00-1991

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Trend analysis

Objectives:

1.To assess the extent of crop diversification achieved in Bangladesh crop economy

2.To identify factors that stand in the way of further diversification.

Methodology:

The paper draws upon published Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data as well as primary data collected during the BIDS-IFPRI survey of 1990/91, to assess the extent of crop diversification achieved in Bangladesh crop economy, and to identify factors that stand in the way of further diversification. In the process, it is hoped, relevant policy conclusions will emerge for promoting crop diversification in the future. follow, two different definitions of cropping pattern (CP) have simultaneously been adhered to in this paper. Under the more strict definition, CP implies a sequence of specific crops produced on a given land in different seasons within a year. Keeping the land fallow for a season or two may also be included as possible outcomes under such definition. Since available data do not always permit one to adhere to this strict definition, we often resort to distribution of land under various crops and refer it as CP.

Source of Information: The Bangladesh Development Studies,Vol. 21, No. 3, Crop Diversification in Bangladesh (September 1993), pp. 73-90 Published by: Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

There are several constraints to a rapid expansion of area under non-cereal crops in near future. First, the area with high and medium-high land in Bangladesh is limited, its expansion is quite dependent on large scale investments on flood control and drainage (FCD). Second, in order to let the farmers of distant areas realize higher prices for such perishable items as vegetables, infrastructure has to be developed substantially. One would therefore expect that during the near future the effective area (irrigated high and medium-high land) where MV boro may be substituted, will be confined to pockets around Dhaka city and those well-connected with Dhaka. Finally, irrigation technology and policies towards it have great implications for crop diversification. While minor irritations are normally expected to be neutral towards choice of crops other than paddy are generally not feasible.Since the association between traditional irrigation and cultivation of minor crops may still persist in the near future, efforts may be taken to make surface water more readily available through reexcavation of canals. This is an aspect that is worth probing since present political regime is putting much efforts towards canal digging programme.

Knowledge Management: Journal