[🇧🇩] Agriculture in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Agricultural University​

A group of scientists of Bangladesh Agricultural University are working to develop new varieties of climate-resilient crops, including rice, maize and tomatoes, using a modern greenhouse, first of its kind at BAU.

The scientists, led by Prof ABM Arif Hasan Khan of the Department of Agrometeorology, are collaborating with the Department of Agricultural Extension in a joint venture titled "Agrometeorological Information Systems Development Project" since last year.​

A greenhouse is a transparent room, where various natural factors like heat, temperature, light, water, salinity and humidity are controlled and the effects of these factors on different crops are analysed and explained.

As a result, the production of any crop can be continued throughout the year in a greenhouse. The greenhouse at BAU has eight common rooms, low and temperature rooms for research, a central room from where the amount of water and fertilisers for different crops planted in different rooms can be regulated, controlled and monitored.



NRI Crop Technology -- a sensor-based equipment imported from Turkey -- delivers nutrients to each plant as needed. The research on crops' tolerance to adverse environmental conditions is being done by altering the characteristics of light including intensity and wavelength, temperature, water and salt tolerance of the seedlings planted externally through the device, the researchers said.

Prof Arif Khan said, "Agricultural productivity is largely dependent on several meteorological variables including temperature, solar radiation, hours of exposure to sunlight, lengths of winter and monsoon seasons. Since Bangladesh is a climate-vulnerable country, these climatic variables are gradually becoming extreme here. The highest and lowest temperatures are changing every year. In this situation, developing climate-resilient crop varieties has become important and scientists must engage to this end."

Prof Dr AKM Zakir Hossain, a member of the research team, said, "The new greenhouse will help develop different crop varieties that are tolerant to adverse weather conditions."

Prof Dr Aslam Ali, another team member, said, "Different crops have different requirements of nutrients for growth and development. The sensor-based operations deliver a balanced amount of nutrients to each plant. Right now, research is being conducted to develop eco-friendly varieties by changing the light, wavelength, temperature, water content, salinity level, etc externally through the machine."

Tanjim Ahmed, a postgraduate student engaged in the project, said, "Developing a heat-stress tolerant maize variety has been a successful outcome of the research. This variety can be cultivated in the comparatively warmer regions of the country."

Zaber Sabuj, another postgraduate student, said, "Work is ongoing to develop rice varieties that are tolerant to both salinity and high temperature. Once developed, these will help continue rice cultivation even in salinity prone 19 districts in the south."

Another researcher, Sirajum Monira, said it may become possible to produce winter tomato varieties even in summer through greenhouse method.

Postgraduate student Farzana Akter is focusing on finding out which rice varieties expel less methane in higher temperature regions.

The scientists said this modern greenhouse has opened the door for advanced agricultural research, and hoped that within five years, the outcomes of this research could reach the farmers' door.​

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Graduating LDCs get little to laugh about, nor even guaranteed continuity of market-access privileges, as prolonged parleys at the WTO ministerial ended with late-night declaration encoding developed-developing divide over trade rules.

Extended until midnight Friday, the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced its conclusion formally early hours of Saturday in Abu Dhabi when the whole Arab city was fast asleep.

With a limited number of ministers and delegates, the brightly lighted Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) looked almost deserted while few journalists and civil-society members were seen struggling for decoding the stipulated outcome of the ministerial declaration and decisions adopted by the members.

As there was no consensus among the developed and leading developing countries on two critical issues, agriculture and fisheries subsidies, no deal was reached thereof either.

India and some other developing nations strongly pushed for permanent solutions on public stockholding (PSH) of foods, but to no avail in the end. The United States (US) and the European Union (EU) duo wouldn't budge an inch allowing any compromise on the issue, terming it a trade-distorting measure. Thus, the matter remained unresolved, meaning India should continue to enjoy the so-called 'peace clause' agreed in the Bali ministerial a decade ago.

Indian commerce minister Piyusah Goyal, who actively participated in the negations and fought until the last minute for reaching a permanent solution, talked to journalists informally before the formal closing of the meet. He was of the view that, for India, peace clause is also enough to ensure food security.

The second phase of the fisheries subsidies agreement that provides for a ban on subsidies on overcapacity and overfishing was also not approved due to strong difference among the countries. The first phase of the agreement, adopted at the MC12 in Geneva, prohibits government support for illegal, unreported and unregulated, fishing, the fishing of overfished stocks and fishing on unregulated high seas.

The e-commerce moratorium will, however, continue for two more years despite opposition from India and some other countries. It means there will be no customs duties on electronic transmission during the period. Developed countries heavily backed the moratorium.

On dispute-settlement reform, members agreed to work for 'having a fully and well-functioning dispute- settlement system accessible to all members by 2024.'

The graduating LDCs, including Bangladesh, get three years as an extra time after their graduation to adjust with the WTO rules and provisions regarding the dispute-settlement system. They will also enjoy LDC-specific technical assistance and capacity building provided by the WTO for three years after the graduation.

There is, however, no binding commitment on the continuation of the preferential market access for the graduating LDCs.

"We reaffirm the provisions of special and differential treatment for developing Members and LDCs as an integral part of the WTO and its agreements," says the MC13 declaration.

Special and differential treatment in WTO agreements should be precise, effective and operational, adds the readout.

The WTO Director-General, Okonjo-Iweala, in her concluding remarks, said: "We have worked hard this week. We have achieved some important things and we have not managed to complete others.

Nevertheless, we moved those pieces of work in an important way. At the same time, we have delivered some milestone achievements for the WTO and laid the groundwork for more," she added.

At the concluding session, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE and MC13 Chair, thanked members for their active engagement during the conference.

"There is virtually no agreement on almost anything," said Auckland University Emeritus Professor Jane Kelsey who attended the conference as a guest of the conference chair.

"This follows a pattern of failures over successive ministerial," she told the media in a brief, but highly critical, statement.

"The WTO continues its steady decline, no longer just on life support but nearing death's door," says the swinging readout, incidentally at a time when there have been pleas for rebuilding a world trade system felicitous with current milieus.

The MC13 of the WTO started on Monday with trade ministers and senior officials of 164 members joining. As they had failed to reach consensus on critical issues during these days, the conference extended to Friday.

An eight-member Bangladesh delegation headed by Ahasanul Islam Titu, State Minister for Commerce, participated in the global trade meet. The conference brought together around 4,000 ministers, senior trade officials and other delegates from the WTO's 164 members and observers as well as representatives from civil society, business and the global media.

[The writer was in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of the Secretariat of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Geneva.]​

Crop insurance: it's long overdue
ATIQUL KABIR TUHIN
Published :
Mar 02, 2024 21:46
Updated :
Mar 03, 2024 21:48



A recent news report highlighting the plight of Towhidul Islam, a marginal farmer in the Godagari municipal area of Rajshahi, serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of farmers in Bangladesh due to unpredictable weather patterns. Because of a heavy rainfall during Aman harvesting period in 2023, Towhidul lost almost his entire Aman crop and the Tk. 2 lakh he had invested in cultivating his 15 bighas of land. This example alone underscores the urgent need for effective agricultural risk mitigation measures, particularly in a country where agriculture plays a significant role in the economy, contributing over 11.3 per cent to the GDP and involving more than 37 per cent of the population.

Agriculture sector has long been vulnerable to natural disasters like flooding, cyclones, and droughts, which disrupt farming activities and may cause substantial crop and economic losses. Climate change has aggravated the situation further.

To address these issues, weather index-based crop insurance can be a potential solution, offering a mechanism to mitigate weather-related uncertainties by providing timely compensation based on objective weather data.

About five years back, such a scheme was piloted by the state-owned Sadharan Bima Corporation (SBC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It received overwhelming response from farmers in three districts where the project was implemented, Rajshahi, Sirajganj and Noakhali. Its aim was to provide financial compensation to farmers against their losses caused by adverse weather conditions, thereby promoting sustainable growth in agriculture, reducing poverty, and maintaining macro-financial stability.

Despite the potential benefits, one of the major hurdles in the implementation of such insurance schemes, however, has been the lack of government subsidies and support. The Ministry of Agriculture has shown reluctance towards endorsing weather index-based crop insurance, citing reasons such as concerns over undue claim settlements and existing subsidies on agriculture. While subsidies are essential for promoting private-sector agricultural insurance and ensuring affordability for farmers, it should not be viewed as a hindrance, but rather as an investment in mitigating production risks and safeguarding the livelihoods of millions of farmers.

The case of Towhidul Islam highlights the devastating consequences of not having adequate risk mitigation measures in place. His struggle to recover from crop losses and the burden of having to repay loans taken from local micro-financiers paint a grim picture of the challenges faced by farmers. It is imperative that the government, policymakers, and relevant stakeholders prioritise the establishment of effective crop insurance mechanisms that are accessible, transparent, and sustainable.

The experience of other countries, such as India with its Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), demonstrates the potential benefits of well-designed and subsidised crop insurance schemes in providing financial security and peace of mind to farmers. PMFBY focuses on making premium costs accessible to farmers through government subsidies, leveraging existing infrastructure, promoting investments by insurance companies, and ensuring efficient application processing through technology adoption.

Bangladesh can learn from India's tried and proven effective experience and tailor its approach to suit its unique agricultural landscape and challenges.

Furthermore, efforts should be made to address past shortcomings and improve the effectiveness of insurance products. This includes enhancing flood management strategies, innovating adaptation tools, and ensuring the transparency and efficiency of claim settlement processes. By addressing these issues and investing in resilient agricultural practices, Bangladesh can better prepare its farmers to withstand the growing threats posed by climate variability and extreme weather events.

The story of Towhidul Islam - and there are many more like his - serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive and sustainable agricultural risk management strategies in Bangladesh. A well-designed insurance programme can offer much-needed security to farmers against the adverse impacts of natural calamities, fostering long-term agricultural sustainability and economic development.

Overall, a successful implementation of crop insurance in Bangladesh requires concerted efforts from policymakers, insurers, and international partners to overcome challenges and ensure the resilience and prosperity of the agricultural sector and rural communities. It is time for taking decisive action against the unpredictable forces of nature and protect the unsung heroes of the economy - the farmers.​