Attaining comprehensive food security

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury has drawn attention to the need for attaining food security for the country while inaugurating the Bangladesh Seed Conference and Exhibition- 2010 last Tuesday. The concept of food security ought to be a wide one and acted upon comprehensively by the policy planners setting all sorts of targets in different areas and achieving them in an integrated manner. First of all, the plans must provide for the development of agriculture in different spheres keeping in view the short- and longer-term needs of the country's growing population. Bangladesh's population is projected to reach 180 million only a decade and half from now. So, production increases of staple grains and other essential food items such as pulses, spices, vegetables, oil seeds, etc, will be required. A comprehensive food production plan, in an integrated manner, should aim at getting the desired cumulative results.

As for meeting the primary challenge of increased cereal production to keep pace with rising needs, arable lands will have to be brought under cultivation using higher yielding and better quality seeds. Only a part of the total cultivable lands are using such seeds at present. Food grain production will increase substantially if the use of such seeds is expanded. Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) is one of the main suppliers of good seeds to farmers. It caters to about 20 per cent of the required amounts while the rest are supplied by the private sector. Complaints are frequently made about poor quality seeds distributed to farmers from non-BADC sources. Increased monitoring and enforcement of laws should seek to prevent such malpractices. Side by side, BADC's production of quality seeds should increase as needed. Research and development (R&D) activities will have to be stepped up to produce and distribute to farmers still higher yielding seeds and also ones that withstand the adversities of flood, drought and salinity.

The main asset of Bangladesh's agriculture is the fertility of the soil. But this fertility is under threat from spurious fertilisers and improper use of fertilisers. The sale of sub-standard fertilisers will have to be sternly dealt with. The improper use of such fertiliser as urea should be discouraged and the extension department under the ministry of agriculture should educate farmers extensively on how to get adequate yields from scientific use of less amounts of urea and other fertilisers. Organic fertilisers which are safe for the soil and even better than chemical ones are being produced in the country. The use of these fertilisers should be popularised as these not only are comparatively cheaper but also help import substitution. The same also conserve the natural fertility of the soil.

The comprehensive policies towards food security will have to effectively address issues of creating sufficient storage space for food grains. Incentives to farmers will have to be maintained by reaching government's various intended benefits and facilities to them, including subsidies, efficiently. Modernisation of agricultural techniques will have to be promoted. Opportunities will also have to be expanded for acquiring diverse forms of education that are related to agriculture.