Bangladesh's cultivated land shrank by 30 per cent in the 52 years after independence, from 1971 to 2023, yet farm output grew over the same period: rice production rose 3.8 times, wheat 17.27 times and maize 2,266.67 times.

The figures were presented on Thursday at the SAARC Agriculture conference room in Farmgate, Dhaka, on the last day of a three-day workshop the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) held for members of the Bangladesh Agriculture Reporters Forum (BARF). The sessions covered crops, fisheries and livestock.

The chief guest, BARC executive chairman (routine charge) Dr Md Abdus Salam, said the population grows by 2 to 2.2 million a year. Citing a 2025 Asian Development Bank report, he said farmland is shrinking by 0.36 per cent a year, with about 307 acres a day going to industry, urban growth, housing and roads, which he called a major challenge for food production.

He said safe food production is a priority: under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), five fruits and 10 vegetables are being emphasised, with a plan to extend the programme to 300,000 hectares by 2028. He also stressed good soil and quality seed to raise output.

Obaidur Rahman Mondol, director of the Department of Agricultural Extension's field services wing, discussed the remit of the Agricultural Technology Extension Coordination Committee (ATCC). He said sunflower cultivation will be expanded in the south, and there are plans to set up oil-processing plants in Khulna and Barishal before next season.

Md Motaleb Hossain, director (inland) at the Department of Fisheries, said 5.111 million tonnes of fish were produced in FY2024-25 and 1.4 million women are engaged in fish farming, but production from freshwater sources such as haors, rivers, canals and beels has fallen. BARC livestock division member Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam stressed ensuring enough animal protein, including milk, eggs, fish and meat.

Agricultural economics, crop insurance and technology extension were also covered; over the three days 15 trainers taught 15 subjects. The report is by Protidiner Bangladesh's staff correspondent.

Source: Protidiner Bangladesh