H. M. Nazmul Alam

Agriculture forms the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy, shaping the livelihood of millions, defining rural landscapes, and feeding the nation. Despite its central role, this sector has faced significant neglect, compounded by the challenges of climate vulnerability, low productivity, and inadequate support systems. Tarique Rahman and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have recently outlined an ambitious vision to rejuvenate Bangladesh’s agricultural sector. This vision proposes systemic changes—addressing crop insurance, water management, fair pricing, and agricultural diversification—that could propel Bangladesh’s agriculture into a sustainable, productive future.

Crop Insurance as a Safety Net for Farmers

One of the centerpieces of Rahman’s plan is the establishment of a nationwide crop insurance program to protect farmers from the cyclical debt traps that follow crop failures due to natural disasters. Given Bangladesh’s vulnerability to floods, storms, and droughts, this policy is both timely and necessary. Crop insurance is already a key agricultural policy in countries like Brazil, where Proagro, a federal agricultural insurance program, insures farmers against losses from adverse weather, pests, and disease. Notably, this program has enabled Brazilian farmers to confidently reinvest in their crops each season, spurring steady growth in the agricultural sector.

If implemented with similar effectiveness, Rahman’s insurance scheme could prove transformative for Bangladeshi farmers. As Norman Borlaug, the “father of the Green Revolution,” once said, “Food is the moral right of all who are born into this world.” Protecting farmers against crop losses aligns with this philosophy, reinforcing that agricultural security is a foundational human right. However, Rahman’s plan must ensure timely claim processing and efficient service delivery to avoid bureaucratic pitfalls that could undermine the program’s potential. In countries like Brazil, challenges have arisen with delays and high administrative costs. To counter this, Bangladesh could employ technology to streamline the process, offering digital platforms for claim submissions and processing to maintain efficiency.

Revitalizing Bangladesh’s Water Management Through Canal Digging

Equally significant in Rahman’s vision is the revival of Bangladesh’s canal-digging initiative, which had been previously undertaken during Shaheed Zia’s tenure. Revitalizing this program addresses a fundamental need: water. In recent decades, Bangladesh’s water table has dropped alarmingly, threatening agricultural productivity. Rahman’s canal program aims to capture and channel monsoon water into reservoirs, which would provide irrigation during dry seasons. Bangladesh might look to the Netherlands, a country with extensive experience in water management. Using a network of canals and water-control systems, the Netherlands has transformed low-lying lands prone to flooding into some of the most productive agricultural lands in Europe. This Dutch model of “living with water” could inspire Rahman’s vision, providing Bangladesh with strategies to sustainably manage its water resources.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, one of India’s foremost agricultural scientists, has observed, “In an era of climate change, water conservation in agriculture is no longer an option but a necessity.” Rahman’s approach advocates for sensible water management practices, but the challenge lies in execution. Effective farmer education programs, perhaps modeled after the Agricultural Extension programs in the United States, could help spread knowledge and ensure these techniques are adopted on a wide scale.

Cold Storage Facilities to Reduce Crop Loss

To minimize post-harvest losses of perishable crops, Rahman has proposed constructing crop-specific cold storage facilities across major agricultural zones. Bangladesh loses a significant share of its vegetable and fruit produce each year due to inadequate storage, which lowers farmers’ incomes and raises consumer prices. Cold storage solutions could reduce such losses, stabilize market prices, and increase food security. Spain, for instance, has become a leader in fruit and vegetable exports partly due to its widespread cold storage infrastructure, allowing farmers to preserve their produce longer and sell it at more favorable times.

For Bangladesh, a similar approach could yield significant benefits. Establishing cold storage facilities near major farming areas would empower farmers, enabling them to store produce until market prices are optimal. Rahman’s plan to involve both government and private stakeholders in these facilities could develop public-private partnerships that ensure sustainability and widespread access. However, this initiative must also consider rural energy shortages and ensure that facilities operate efficiently without burdening the electrical grid. Solar-powered or renewable-energy cold storage could offer a solution, aligning with the push for sustainable infrastructure while providing reliable preservation for perishable goods.

Diversifying Agricultural Output

Tarique Rahman envisions an agricultural sector that transcends rice and jute to include high-value crops, livestock, fisheries, and poultry. Expanding beyond traditional staples could open new revenue streams, reduce import dependency, and strengthen Bangladesh’s food security. In Peru, agricultural diversification has allowed farmers to grow exportable crops like avocados and quinoa, making Peru one of the top exporters of these products. Bangladesh, with its fertile land and diverse climate, could similarly explore high-demand crops suitable for both domestic consumption and export. The United States’ “Farm to Fork” strategy is an example of agricultural diversity bolstering food security, enabling the U.S. to be a net food exporter. If Rahman’s plan for agricultural diversification takes hold, Bangladesh might similarly boost both food security and economic opportunity for rural communities.

Fair Pricing and Direct Market Access for Farmers

One of the most ambitious elements of Rahman’s vision is establishing government procurement centers at the union level to ensure fair crop prices for farmers. In many developing countries, farmers suffer due to low, unstable prices dictated by middlemen and traders. By establishing procurement centers, Rahman hopes to connect farmers directly with the market, enabling them to sell their produce at fair prices. A similar model in Kenya, known as “warehouse receipt systems,” has enabled small-scale farmers to store their grains in certified warehouses, receiving receipts they can trade or redeem for cash when prices are favorable. This system has improved farmers’ income stability by preventing the forced sale of produce at low prices immediately after harvest.

Implementing a procurement system in Bangladesh could help address the persistent issue of price volatility, which undermines farmers’ livelihoods. By buying directly from farmers, these centers could act as stabilizing agents, ensuring minimum prices that cover farmers’ production costs and provide a fair margin.

Increased Budget Allocation for Agriculture

Rahman’s proposal to allocate 8% of Bangladesh’s GDP to agriculture demonstrates his commitment to prioritizing the sector. Countries that have seen rapid agricultural growth, like Vietnam, have made substantial public investments in agriculture, which have been instrumental in transforming rural economies and improving food security. By directing increased funding toward agricultural training, machinery access, and fertilizer subsidies, Rahman’s vision could drive similar results, modernizing farming and attracting younger generations to agricultural professions.

To fully realize the potential of this budget increase, however, efficient allocation is paramount. Past experiences show that increasing budgets do not always translate into improved services unless backed by accountability.

Conclusion

Tarique Rahman’s vision for Bangladesh’s agriculture is a comprehensive blueprint that holds the promise of turning agriculture into a source of stability, prosperity, and resilience for Bangladesh. Rahman’s strategy echoes the sentiment of Masanobu Fukuoka, the Japanese farmer and philosopher who said, “The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” Indeed, beyond producing food, a thriving agricultural sector can cultivate empowered communities, resilient economies, and a more self-sufficient nation. Rahman’s plan, if executed with transparency, accountability, and dedication, could truly transform the lives of Bangladesh’s farmers and reshape the country’s agricultural future.

The writer is a, Lecturer, Department of English and Modern Languages, International University of Business, Agriculture and Technology