Govt targets sustainable farming on 50% of land

The government aims to bring about half of the country’s agricultural land under productive and sustainable practices by 2030 to strengthen climate resilience and ensure long-term food security.

Currently, 44.37 percent of the country’s agricultural land is under such practices, a share the government plans to raise to 50.01 percent, said Kamrul Hasan, joint secretary of the policy and planning branch at the Ministry of Agriculture, at a conference yesterday.

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The conference was held at the Bangladesh China Friendship International Conference Center in Dhaka. The General Economics Division of the Planning Commission organised the event under a session titled “Reconstructing Fragile Economy and Achieving SDGs.”

Kamrul said Bangladesh needs sustainable food production systems and climate-resilient farming practices by 2030 to increase agricultural productivity while protecting ecosystems.

Such practices should also help farmers cope with climate change, extreme weather, droughts, floods and other disasters, while improving soil and land quality, he added.

As Bangladesh prepares for LDC graduation, the country also needs to shift from direct cash incentives to “green box” subsidies, Kamrul said. These could support agricultural research and development, infrastructure, warehouses, extension services and pest control.

Green box subsidies are government support for agriculture that causes little or no distortion to trade. Under the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture, such support is allowed because it funds public services rather than directly supporting production or prices.

For exporters, the government can provide support for transportation, packaging, handling and market promotion, he added.

Kamrul stressed the need to reduce excessive pesticide use, saying the country uses around 40,000 tonnes of pesticides each year, which affects biodiversity and the environment.

The agriculture ministry has developed good agricultural practices (GAP) protocols for 15 products and is investing in laboratory facilities to support agricultural exports.

He cited the sharp decline in onion imports, from 700,000 tonnes to about 70,000 tonnes, as an example of progress in domestic production.

On nutrition, Kamrul said the stunting rate declined from 43 percent in 2012-13 to 24 percent in 2025. However, progress slowed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wasting and rising rates of overweight, particularly in urban areas, also need attention, he added.

He pointed to regional disparities, especially in Sylhet and Mymensingh, where difficult terrain and dependence on single-crop farming contribute to higher rates of stunting and wasting.

The rising rate of anaemia among women is another concern, he said, adding that the ministry has introduced a nutrition-sensitive agriculture strategy to address these challenges.

Kamrul also stressed the need to increase agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes. He highlighted the Farmers Card initiative, which provides 10 services, including conditional cash support for farm inputs, precision farming guidelines, agricultural insurance, and support for agri-entrepreneurs and startups.

He recommended greater investment in agricultural research to develop stress-tolerant seeds and fertilisers, stronger extension services, better environmental protection and biosecurity, and more small-scale cold storage facilities in local markets.

He also called for wider use of technologies such as airflow systems for onions to reduce spoilage and dependence on imports.

Rasheda K Choudhury, executive director of Campaign for Popular Education; Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies; Md Fazlul Kader, managing director of PKSF; Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki, state minister for planning; and ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, minister for education and primary and mass education, also spoke at the event.