ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
ENV 203/GEO 205: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY
LECTURE 09
PROFESSOR DR. MD. MIZANUR RAHMAN (RMR)
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
TODAY’S LECTURE CONTENT…
THIS LECTURE WILL COVER…
1. Bangladesh Agriculture
2. Problems and Prospects
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
OVERVIEW: BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE
OVERVIEW…
• About 70% of the total population live in rural areas
• Agriculture contributes about 13% to the country's GDP
• About 23% of which is contributed by the crop sector alone
• About 63% of the labor force is employed in agriculture
• About 57% being employed in the crop sector
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CHARACTERISTICS OF BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE
CHARACTERISTICS…
• Cropping intensity 190%;
• Irrigated land 56%;
• Surface water: 21% ;
• Groundwater: 79%;
• Land-man ratio: 0.06 ha;
• Mainly subsistence farming;
• Inadequate agro-processing;
• Non-mechanized farming;
• Fragmented land/plots;
• Dependence largely on nature.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE: AT A GLANCE…
Main agricultural products include: Rice, tea, wheat, jute,
sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, oilseeds, spices, fruits, beef
and milk.
• Total farm holding: 15 million approx.
• Total area: 14.845 million hectares
• Cultivable land: 8 million hectares
• Current fallow land: 0.469m hectares
• Annual Food Production: 39.9m MT
• Annual Food demand: 39.9m MT
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE: AT A GLANCE…
Agriculture determines people’s lives and livelihood of this region
Agriculture is the determining factor for food security as well as pro-
poor development of Bangladesh economy.
• Land-man ratio: .06 ha
• Mainly subsistence farming
• Inadequate agro-processing
• Non-mechanized farming
• Fragmented land/plots
• Dependence largely on nature
• Crop diversification
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE
WHY CLIMATE CHANGE MATTERS FOR AGRICULTURE…
• Heavily depends on natural rainfall, weather & temperature,
water level, soil condition etc.
• Uncontrolled farming environment
• Rice based agriculture greatly depends availability of fresh
surface and ground water
• Seasonal farming
• Lack of stress tolerant varieties
• Changed cropping pattern
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE
MAJOR CHALLENGES…
• Loss of arable land
• Population growth
• Climate change
• High fertilizer use
• Inefficient water use
• Pests and diseases
• Lack of quality seeds
• Unfair price of agricultural products
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
BANGLADESH CLIMATE
CLIMATE…
What is special in Bangladesh Climate?
• Six Seasons.
What are the specialities in Seasons?
• Tropical Climate
• Mild winters (October to March)
• Hot, Humid summer (March to June)
• Humid rainy monsoons (June to October)
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT IN BANGLADESH
IMPACTS…
• Sea Level Rise (SLR)
• Floods
• Riverbank erosion
• Drought
• Salinity intrusion
• Loss of homestead and livelihoods
• Pest infestation
• Land scarcity
• Seasonal Migration/Climate Migration
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT IN BANGLADESH
IMPACTS…
Example:
A meter rise of sea level
would inundate ….
- a quarter of our landmass;
- displacing over 20 million
people by 2050….
…creating enormous
humanitarian and political
crisis beyond its national
boundaries.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT IN BANGLADESH
ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURE…
• Stress (flood, drought, submergence, salinity, heat, cold..)
tolerant varieties
• Short duration crops
• Innovative farming practices
• Floating cultivation method
• Crop diversification
• Changing/shifting cropping pattern
• Alternate wetting and drying irrigation methods
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
Drought Cyclone Storm surge, salinity
CLIMATE INDUCED HAZARDS
AFFECT AGRICULTURE
Flood Water logging Bank Erosion
Bank erosion
CLIMATE INDUCED HAZARDS AFFECT AGRICULTURE
FLOOD…
• River flood
• Flash flood
• Tidal surge
Affected/Exposed Areas:
• Nearly 80 % areas of the country is
low-lying
• Recent floods affected 30-69% areas
• Standing crops damage
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE INDUCED HAZARDS AFFECT AGRICULTURE
CYCLONE…
Loss and Damage of Rice production in four
study villages in the coast (Before and After
Rice Production (Tons)
Cyclone Aila in 2009)
2369
1063
0 134
Year 2008 Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011
Year
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE INDUCED HAZARDS AFFECT AGRICULTURE
DROUGHT…
Affected/Exposed Areas:
• About 25% of the country suffer
water stress in dry season.
• Western and north western districts
of the country are mostly affected.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE INDUCED HAZARDS AFFECT AGRICULTURE
SEA LEVEL RISE…
Affected/Exposed Areas:
• About 25% of the country will be
inundated.
• Southern rice production belt will
be submerged.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CLIMATE INDUCED HAZARDS AFFECT AGRICULTURE
SOIL SALINITY…
Salinity Intrusion in agriculture fields
• Salinity intrusion increased by
27 % from 1973 to 2009 (SRDI,
2010).
• Farmers are extremely
challenged with salinity.
• After Cyclone Aila (2009), many
farmers couldn’t cultivate rice
for three consecutive years.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
ADAPTATION TECHNOLOGIES IN CROP AGRICULTURE
ADAPTATION TECHNOLOGIES…
– Stress (flood, drought and salinity)
tolerant varieties
– Short duration crops
– Innovative farming practices
(floating gardens, irrigation
efficiency)
– Crop diversification
– Changing/shifting cropping pattern
– Adjustments in irrigation system
(excavation of mini-ponds,
supplementary irrigation)
– Cropping intensity (1, 2, 3, 4……
crops in a year)
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
ADAPTATION TECHNOLOGY: FLOATING GARDEN
EXAMPLE: FLOATING GARDEN…
VEGETABLE FARMING…
• Adaptation technology in practice:
Flood Prone Areas
• Floating Bed Preparation
– Collection of materials (water-
hyacinth and other aquatic
vegetation)
– Making a floating bed (May to July)
• Farming crops and season
– Mostly vegetables, both summer
and winter
– Ball or cushion like structure
– Seedling raising
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF AGRICULTURE
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF AGRICULTURE…
Bangladesh shall have to incorporate the following specific features:
1. Land productivity of agriculture will
have to be increased by at least 50
per cent.
2. The structure of agricultural
production has to be diversified along
non-crop lines.
3. Non-farm activities in the rural areas
will have to be proliferated hugely to
provide new employment.
4. Infrastructure and Marketing system
in the rural areas should be improved
to meet the challenge of a more
commercialized agriculture.
5. Proper regulation and price control of
agricultural products at all levels.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
IMPORTANCE…
• 13% GDP;
• 63% labor force;
• Agriculture determines people’s lives and livelihood of this region;
• People living in rural areas 65%.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
PROSPECTS OF AGRICULTURE
PROSPECTS IN GENERAL …
• Modern technological knowledge is available for reducing
yield gaps;
• Scope for expanding hybrid technology exists;
• Prospects for adoption of advanced technology;
• Energy input in agri-sector is increasing gradually;
• Export potentials exist for high-value crops;
• Scope for crop diversification, intensification and value
addition to agricultural produces;
• Agriculture sector has capacity to absorb labor force and
to generate income;
• Potentials for proper utilization of hilly/coastal areas
including agro-ecologically disadvantaged regions.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
AGRICULTURAL GROWTH: LAST TWO DECADES
BANGLADESH SCENARIO…
▪ Input based growth;
(intensive use of HYV/Hybrid seeds, irrigation, fertilizer,
pesticides, etc.);
▪ Less mechanized farming;
▪ Insignificant methodological change of farming;
▪ Little scope for crop diversification;
▪ Presence of vertical growth;
▪ Currently, less scope of horizontal growth.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
PESTICIDE CONSUMPTION (MT)
BANGLADESH SCENARIO…
Pesticide consumption has more than doubled in the
past decade
45000
Pesticide consumption (metric tons)
M. Tons
18,000
in 2020
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Year
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
ECOLOGICAL FARMING: CULTIVATING FOR LIFE
ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE…
Ecological agriculture is based on the principles of :
1. Diverse and mixed cropping systems instead of monocultures;
2. Green manure and compost instead of chemical fertilizer;
3. Natural pest management;
4. Preservation of seeds at the household level;
5. Agro-forestry; and
6. Increase the number of friendly species/insects/birds, etc.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
SOURCE OF IRRIGATION WATER
IRRIGATION…
The use of surface water for irrigation has increased only
slowly from just over 1 million hectares in the late 1960s to
around 1.2 million hectares over a period of three decades, to
the late 1990s.
Over the same period, the area under groundwater irrigation
has registered a spectacular 76-fold increase from 32,600
hectares to about 2.5 million hectares.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
DIFFERENCE IN CROP YIELDS
GREAT DISPARITY BETWEEN COUNTRIES
a. Wheat Production:
Pakistan = 2.1 metric tons per hectare
Germany = 6.9 metric tons per hectare
b. Corn Production:
India = 1.6 metric tons per hectare
U.S.A = 7.1 metric tons per hectare
Pakistan Germany
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
ECONOMICS OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
TRANSITION PROCESS…
Specialized, modern
commercial farming
Diversified or mixed farming
Subsistence farming
Which stage are we now?
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
BANGLADESH AGRICULTURE…FUTURE DIRECTION
FUTURE DIRECTION…
From 1960, onward, the official strategy of successive governments
was intensification of agriculture and it was to be carried out with the
help of a new technology called High Yield Variety (HYV) technology.
This HYV technology consisted of three principal components:
(a) Irrigation facility,
(b) Seeds with higher yield potentiality, and
(c) Chemical Fertilizer and Chemical Insecticide.
Why the future of
Bangladesh agriculture
directed to intensify
HYV technology?
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
CONCLUDING REMARKS
CONCLUSION…
Agriculture is the determining factor for food
security as well as pro-poor development of
Bangladesh economy.
The Problems of agriculture are complicated.
So the ways of addressing the challenges should be
comprehensive, global and participatory for
sustainable agricultural development.
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
Thanks
Department of Environmental Science and Management
Course No. ENV 203/GEO 205
North South University
