Staff Reporter :
The Finance Minister has proposed a budget of Tk38,259 crore for the Agriculture, Food Security, Fisheries, and Livestock sectors to address food crises in the FY2024-25. The proposal focuses on the development of improved and resilient crop varieties, innovative farming technologies, rapid dissemination of these varieties and technologies, the supply of agricultural inputs, and sustainable fisheries management to promote the blue economy.
On Thursday, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali presented the national budget of Tk7,97,000 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25 in Parliament. In his speech, the Finance Minister stated, “Alongside the agriculture sector, I propose an allocation of Tk38,259 crore for the fisheries and livestock sector to ensure food security in FY2024-25. In FY2023-24, the allocation for this sector was Tk35,880 crore.”
The Finance Minister emphasized the revolutionary changes in Bangladesh’s agriculture sector under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership, attributing these advancements to innovations and supportive policy strategies. He detailed various initiatives, including the development of resilient crop varieties, innovative farming techniques, rapid dissemination of adapted technologies, fair-priced agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and seeds, expansion of irrigated areas, adoption of improved agricultural practices, and mechanization of agriculture.
Efforts to tackle food crises have led to increased crop production, crop diversification, production of more nutritious crops, and reduced dependency on imports. Market expansion initiatives have also contributed to tackling food crises. Despite climate change and global crises, agricultural production growth remains steady, ensuring food security and strengthening the economy.
The Finance Minister noted that subsidies to encourage agricultural production will continue. In addition to fertilizer subsidies, mechanization is being promoted to increase production. From 2010 to 2023, about 1.33 lakh agricultural machines have been supplied. Additionally, 51.3 thousand agricultural machines are
being supplied to haor and coastal areas under development assistance.
In FY2022-23, approximately 27 lakh small and marginal farmers received loans totaling Tk22,402 crore from various banks. For FY2023-24, a target of Tk35,000 crore has been set for agricultural and rural loans. Support for fertilizers, electricity used in irrigation, and subsidies for sugarcane cultivation have been consistently provided to minimize farmers’ production costs. From 2009 to 2023, approximately Tk1.29 lakh crore has been allocated as development assistance.
Since FY2009-10, the government has been implementing the ‘Agricultural Loan for Marginalised Farmers’ scheme through Bangladesh Bank to provide timely, collateral-free, low-interest agricultural loans to disadvantaged farmers. Crop production, including rice, maize, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits, has increased due to agri-oriented policies.
In FY2008-09, the total production of food grains was 328.96 lakh metric tons. By FY2022-23, this increased by approximately 42 percent to 467.03 lakh metric tons. Bangladesh now ranks 3rd globally in the production of rice, vegetables, and onions, 2nd in jute production, 4th in tea production, and 7th in the production of potatoes and mangoes.
The government has started implementing the ‘Smart Farming Card and Digital Agriculture (Pilot) Project (2022-26)’ and the ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture and Water Management’ Project (2022-25). As of March 2024, over 30 lakh smart family cards have been distributed. To prevent food wastage and ensure food security, food storage capacity has increased to 21.86 lakh metric tons, with plans to further increase it to 29 lakh metric tons in the next fiscal year. The 8th Five-Year Plan aims to increase food grain storage capacity to 37 lakh metric tons by 2025.
To address the global economic crisis, the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority focuses on ensuring food security through intensive monitoring of the food supply chain, quality control, and promoting good nutrition practices. Poverty alleviation programs provide 50 lakh low-income families with 30 kg of rice per month during the off-season. To stabilize market prices of essential goods, nearly 1 crore low-income families receive 2 liters of soybean oil, 2 kg of lentils, 1 kg of sugar (subject to availability), and 5 kg of rice at 30 takas per kg through TCB’s family card. TCB’s storage capacity has increased from 9,570 metric tons in FY2008-09 to approximately 27,000 metric tons. The ‘Construction of Godowns for Chattogram, Sylhet, and Rangpur Regional Offices to Increase TCB’s Buffer Stock Capacity’ project has been implemented.
Fish production reached 49.15 lakh metric tons in FY2022-23. According to the FAO’s ‘The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022’ report, Bangladesh ranks 3rd in inland fish production and 5th in cultured fish production globally. Bangladesh is the top producer of Hilsa fish. Research is being conducted to protect indigenous fish species, and breeding technologies for 40 species have been developed.
To ensure sustainable fisheries management and promote the blue economy, several laws, including the ‘Marine Fisheries Act 2020’, ‘Marine Fisheries Harvesting Policy 2022’, and ‘Marine Fisheries Rules 2023’, have been enacted. The Department of Fisheries has implemented the Monitoring, Control, Surveillance (MCS) system through the ‘Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries’ project, and a ‘Joint Monitoring Center’ has been established in Chattogram. Five marine fisheries surveillance check posts and six patrol vessels and high-speed boats are being integrated for marine fisheries management. The National Plan of Action aims to prevent illegal and unregulated fishing. The research vessel “R V MEEN SANDHANI” has conducted 44 survey cruises in the Bay of Bengal for biological analysis.
Marine Spatial Planning is being developed for the sustainable use of marine resources. Activities to establish 450 fishing villages are underway to improve fishermen’s socio-economic conditions. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has declared a 698 sq. km. marine reserve area in the deep sea and a 3,188 sq. km. area adjacent to Nijhum Dwip as marine protected areas. A management plan for the Nijhum Dwip Marine Protected Area has been formulated. A pilot project for deep-sea fishing of tuna and other species is being implemented, with two marine vessels purchased.
Marine fish production increased by 24.35 percent from 5.46 lakh metric tons in FY2010-11 to 6.79 lakh metric tons in FY2022-23. To ensure proper breeding and conservation of fish in the marine economic zone, all types of fishing are prohibited from May 20 to July 23 each year. In 2023, 26,083.42 metric tons of rice were distributed to 2,99,135 fishing families in 68 upazilas across 14 districts during the fishing ban.
The government is working towards a smart livestock sector through sustainable breed development and disease control of cattle and poultry. To protect animal health, vaccine production and administration have increased. Under the policy ‘Sheikh Hasina’s gift, a veterinarian within reach,’ mobile veterinary clinics have been established in 360 upazilas to provide veterinary services to farmers.