Call to raise non-farm activities in rural areas
An increase in non-farm activities in rural areas could offset the impacts of declining arable land and rising landlessness, analysts said yesterday.
The views came at a discussion on the outcome of a household survey for 2011-12 by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel yesterday.
“Agriculture is dominated by marginal and small farmers, the number of whom is growing. Moves are needed to boost non-farm activities in rural areas to address the problems,†said Mahbub Hossain, executive director of BRAC.
Hossain spoke at a session -- agricultural production and marketing practices in the FTF zone (Feed the Future zone in the southern parts of Bangladesh) and other regions.
Five papers were presented at the session by five IFPRI officials on different aspects.
“Credit is not available for the marginal farmers, and the rate is also high. The state has a role to play,†said the BRAC top official.
He said labour cost is 45 percent out of the total production cost of rice, while fertiliser costs 22 percent and irrigation 13 percent.
A rise in labour costs hurts a farmer more than the hike in irrigation and fertiliser prices, he said.
Hossain said Bangladesh's farmers need to adopt newer technologies, and the government also has a role to play here.
Akhter Ahmed of the IFPRI said arable land is shrinking and inequality is rising. He said ownership of land in the FTF zone is unequal.
“Rural non-farm employment is urgent to address the issue,†he said.
The IFPRI officials also came up with their views on their respective topics.
Ricardo Harnandez said
the number of marginal farmers rose to 33 percent now from 29 percent in 1984.
He said there has been a transformation in the rice value chain. Now farmers hardly sell their produces to the village traders. “On an average, 70 percent of the farmers trade with wholesalers,†he added.
“It's not true that farmers get advance payments for paddy,†said Harnandez.
The number of the farmers who get advance payments is highest in the Khulna region at only 2.2 percent, and only 0.6 percent marginal farmers get the advantage, he said.
Kaikaus Ahmad said farmers consider the state-run Department of Agricultural Extension's services as useful.
“Policy should be made to reach small and marginal farmers,†said Ahmad.
Firdousi Naher said maize production witnessed a phenomenal growth in the last 10 years.
Hua Xie and Claudia Ringler said yield is lower in the FTF zone than the national level.
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