A Greener Agriculture for South Asia Lies in Agroecology

Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid :

Agriculture has always been the beating heart of South Asia from the terraced hills of Nepal to the paddy plains of Bangladesh defining its economy, culture and livelihoods. Yet today, this lifeline faces immense pressure.

Rapid population growth, declining soil fertility, erratic rainfall and climate extremes are straining traditional farming systems.

The region, home to nearly two billion people, stands at a crossroads: continue on an unsustainable path or embrace a transformative vision rooted in balance with nature.

That vision lays in agroecology a holistic approach that blends ecological science with traditional wisdom to create farming systems that sustain both people and the planet.

Agroecology is not merely a farming technique – it is a philosophy that reconnects agriculture with ecology.

It promotes biodiversity, recycles nutrients, conserves water and integrates crops, trees, livestock and fisheries to build resilience.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines agroecology as both a scientific discipline and a social movement that empowers farmers to work with nature rather than against it.

For South Asia where agriculture employs about 43 percent of the workforce yet contributes only 16 percent to GDP, this transformation is not optional but essential.

The region holds nearly a quarter of the world’s population with just 3 percent of its land, is one of the most climate-vulnerable in the world.

Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan are already among the most affected countries globally by floods, droughts and heatwaves.

Recognizing these challenges, the SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC) organized a landmark regional workshop in July 2025 on “Promoting Agroecological Approaches for Sustainable Transformation of Agri-Food Systems in South Asia.”

Experts, policymakers and civil society leaders from SAARC member states resonated one message: the region’s food systems must shift from input-intensive to knowledge-intensive, from exploitative to regenerative and from production-driven to sustainability-oriented.

Agroecology also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly zero hunger, climate action, gender equality and life on land.

Studies have shown that smallholders adopting agroecological practices can increase their incomes by 20-50 percent while significantly reducing input costs – a vital step toward enhancing both poverty reduction and resilience.

Across South Asia, promising examples of agroecological transformation are emerging.

Bhutan, guided by its philosophy of Gross National Happiness, has pledged to become cent percent organic. Nepal is preserving indigenous crop varieties through community seed banks.

India’s Andhra Pradesh is implementing one of the world’s largest natural farming initiatives, targeting six million farmers.

Sri Lanka’s home gardens and Maldives’ coastal farming models demonstrate how ecological agriculture can adapt to local realities.

These efforts reflect a regional movement toward food systems that are ecologically sound, socially equitable and economically viable.

Bangladesh offers compelling lessons in agroecological innovation. Having achieved near self-sufficiency in food, the country now faces the challenge of making its progress environmentally sustainable.

With 30 distinct agroecological zones ranging from flood plains and coastal belts to the drought-prone Barind areas about 53 percent of the country’s land lies in fragile ecosystems. Yet local ingenuity has led to remarkable solutions.

The centuries-old practice of floating agriculture in Gopalganj, Barisal and Pirojpur recognized globally under the FAO’s GIAHS program allows farmers to grow vegetables on floating beds of water hyacinth during monsoon floods.

Likewise, integrated aqua farming and Sorjan systems in the southern coast have improved productivity by combining crops, fish and livestock.

The Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technique in rice cultivation has saved up to 30 percent of irrigation water while cutting methane emissions by 90 percent, according to the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute.

Several Bangladeshi organizations have been instrumental in mainstreaming agroecology.

UBINIG, a pioneer in community-led seed conservation, promotes biodiversity-based ecological agriculture through its Naya Krishi Andolon (New Agriculture Movement).

The WAVE Foundation empowers small holders with training in climate-smart practices and farmer-to-farmer learning, while Welthungerhilfe Bangladesh supports agroecological entrepreneurship among women and youth.

These initiatives show that agroecology is not only an environmental solution but also a social and economic one creating jobs, empowering women and fostering local food sovereignty.

However, challenges remain in large scale adoption of the agroecological approaches.

Limited policy coherence, weak market incentives, lack of access to organic inputs and inadequate research support slow the wider adoption of agroecology.

Many farmers remain trapped in cycles of chemical dependency, debt and land degradation.

Institutional and financial backing must, therefore, align to unlock the full potential of agroecological transformation.

Policies like Bangladesh’s National Agriculture Policy (2018) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Policy (2020) are encouraging starts, embedding sustainability in national planning.

The Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Vision 2041 also envision adaptive, long-term strategies integrating land and water management principles that echo the essence of agroecology.

To accelerate progress, the Agroecology Coalition Bangladesh, with support from SAC, has outlined several recommendations for SAARC member states.

First, harmonize national agriculture policies to ensure agroecological coherence across the region. Second, invest in biofertilizer and biopesticides industries to reduce dependence on chemical inputs.

Third, empower farmers, youth and women through Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) and targeted training.

Fourth, leverage digital tools, AI-based crop diagnostics, mobile apps and smart irrigation reduce post-harvest loss and food waste to enhance precision and resilience.

Fifth, promote renewable energy for irrigation and cold storage, ensuring low-carbon farming.

Sixth, establish independent, farmer-centric marketing systems to guarantee fair prices. Lastly, foster action research and participatory learning to generate real-world evidence for policy impact.

The SAARC Agriculture Centre remains steadfast in its mission to champion these goals through regional cooperation, capacity buildingand evidence-based policymaking.

Agroecology offers South Asia not only a route to sustainability but also a renewed sense of harmony between people and planet, production and protection, tradition and innovation.

As climate uncertainty deepens, the call for agroecology is, at its heart, a call for survival of our lands, our livelihoods and our shared future.

(The writer is the Director, SAARC Agriculture Centre (SAC), Bangladesh.)