AT constant 1989-90 factor coat the share ol agriculture in the ODP, in 1991-92, was 38.39 per cent The share of Industry, despite the Investments made in that sector during the last four decades, was only 7.79 per cent. Agriculture thus remains the most Important economic activity in the country.

The rural population of Bangladesh, more than eighty per cent of the total, are almost entirely dependent on agriculture. Yet this sector is the most neglected. Except at election time, even the political parties pay little attention to the farmers and their plight. The election pledge that the politicians usually offer are Mt-tle more than cheap slogans; Some of these populist slogans have no connection with any plan or programme.

These days, the ministers are so happy with the bumper crop that they are quite busy in reaping the political harvest. Perhaps they believe In the time tested policy of blaming the nature when the crops fail but claiming the credit when the favourable weather condt-tlons produce a good crop. The government does not seem to have any time for the peasants. I do not recall having seen any significant statement by a minister about the collapse of the price of rice paddies in many parts of the country. In the EEC the common agricultural policy. CAP, is the most important political issue for the leadership. Indeed, it is on the question of subsidy to the agricultural products that the United States and the EEC are confronting each other at the negotiating table in the GATT. But tn Bangladesh the farmers and their problems are non-ls-sues. Have we had a debate either in the Parliament or outside about the uneconomic price of rice or the withdrawal of subsidy on inputs or the

problems of storage and marketing?

Recently I went to Habtganj by road. The sight of the golden patches of land with the ripening Aus/late Boro and the green patches with the transplanted Aman gladdened my heart. The farmer, tolling in ankle-deep mud under the scorching May sun, has given this country some respite from the spectre of food shortage. During the trip I had the opportunity of talking with some farmers about their success in meeting the food needs of the nation I was surprised at their reaction. They are bitter about the collapse of the price of rice and the failure of the authorities to do anything to stabilize the market. Subsistence farmers are not so affected by the fall in price (though even they sell part of the crop) but the surplus farmers are clearly tn distress. By selling rice they repay their debts, pay the farm hands, buy clothes and other household necessities and most important, pay for the schooling of their children. Needless to say. they also buy the Inputs for the next crop out of the sale proceeds. There Is widespread concern tn Habtganj about the situation though 1 had observed little awareness in Dhaka about their problems. Not only is the issue assigned very low priority, some Insensitive elements are delighted that the price of rice Is so low. The urban middle and lower middle classes tn Dhaka and other cities, whose CIftical support is so crucial the rulers, are happy. The peasants, the rulers arc confident, can be taken care of at election time. All one needs is a rehash of some old populist slogans to hoodwink them.

Recently a seminar was organized by the Bangladesh Awaml League on agricultural development. Instead of a general discussion covering the

whole subject, a few issues were chosen. The broad areas selected were: sustainable development of agriculture; diversification of agriculture; prices of products and inputs •nd the organizational questions. The experts chosen for the seminar were distinguished scholars who have devoted their working life to the study of one or the other aspect of agriculture. As the moderator of the seminar I was Impressed by the Insight of the experts about the problems as well as the constructive suggestions that they made for their solution.

Some experts held the view that in our eagerness to raise

|i ON THE RECOReHI by Shah AMS Kibria

food production we have neglected the question of sustainability. Should we go on increasing the quantum of chemical fertilizer in order to coax the land to yield a little bit more every year? A time will Inevitably come, alas, when the land will simply not respond. We must be Intelligent enough to anticipate the serious crisis that we will face In not too distant a future. Organic fertilizer, on the other hand, can retain the quality of the land and ensure the sustainability of production. Our resources as well as research ought to be directed to meet this challenge. The same is true of pesticides. Long use of chemical pesticides lead to the growth of resistant pests. This obliges the farmers to use more pesticides at heavy cost but with little result When I was in ESCAP I was told about the experience of Indonesia where the heavy use of pesticides resulted in the growth of the so-called super bugs — pests which were resistant to these chemical pesticides. After a lot of research and study the Indonesian authorities decided to reduce the application of pesticides Under this policy some pests are permitted to grow to a manageable level. A nation-wide campaign was launched to educate the farmers to adjust the use of pesticides. It is a sophisticated farm management policy but the high literacy rate of the farmers has ensured the success of the policy. The Indonesian experience was not discussed in the seminar but I hope we will do so in the future. It is quite obvious that farming will become increas- Ingly complex requiring higher level of skill and knowledge.

The question of diversification was considered to be of crucial importance to the future of our agriculture. We seem to have paid too much emphasis on rice and not enough attention to the development of livestock, poultry and fish. I was impressed by the analysis given by an expert about the economics of producing fish. Given our limited land area and the absence of protein tn the diet of the poor people, there Is a need for paying urgent attention to this matter. In Bangladesh we seem to think only about the export of fish but we should learn from the experience of other countries tn East and South East Asia where fish breeding and culture has changed the rural economy.

There was some discussion on the question of flood control and water management. Some of the experts were opposed to the building of hun- dreds of miles of polders to prevent floods. The huge loss of land and the u Itlmate in ef fectlvenese of the system, in their view, will have a negative impact on our agriculture. Besides, the usual monsoon flooding refreshes the land which will not be possible If

water out. This is so Important and complex an issue that there is need for a separate seminar on this problem. Experts at the seminar warned against the Influence of the big contractors, both local and foreign, who may Hit the balance In favour of polders because of their Interest in this type of massive projects.

Price support and subsidy were naturally priority issues for discussion. A few members of Parliament, with special interest in the agriculture sector. made a strong case tn favour of subsidy. They felt that while the subsidy on the inputs has been withdrawn the price has gone below the cost of production. Thus the farmers suffer on both counts. A vigorous rice procurement programme and a reasonable purchase price would have stabilized the price. The cost of production of rice, even where the peasant contributes his labour without any cash remuneration, Is around taka two hundred. But In many parts of the country the price has fallen as low as one hundred taka. How are the farmers going to buy the inputs for the next crop? Is 1t not going to affect the growth rate of agriculture sector? On the question of subsidy, 1 should add. there were different views among the experts. It is generally believed that in the long run every productive sector, including the agriculture sector, must stand on Its own. But there may be special situations which demand special measures. One expert made the point that subsidy on inputs usually benefits the big farmers and tends to accentuate rural poverty. The small and from the subsidy if this fcT to achieve the desired result. I believe there is need for fur ther study and analysis of this

Credit for the farmers is another key Issue. Two experts from the Grameen Bank provided the participants at the seminar with their experience and Insight on this question.

We all know how the rum] money lenders used to exploit the peasants. Yet we have failed to come up with a well thought out and dependable credit system for the farmers.

The Grameen Bank has opened our eyes but it seems ft Is the predates this pioneering venture.

The government, regrettably. has not yet come up with any plan to make use of the Grameen Bank technique to help the poor to help themselves. Instead of expanding rural credit facilities for the poor we are told that the public sector banks are going to close down their rural branches. Is it not important enough to deserve a national debate? Grameen Bank and the NGOs cannot solve this problem which needs a major policy decision of the government. It is significant Indeed that the Awami League has decided to take up these issues seriously. What we need now is a dialogue with the government in order to build up national consensus on different policy issues which concern our farmers. The hardworking and patient people who feed the nation with the sweat of their (brow certainly deserve no less.