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Food autarky by 2012

Budget gives priority to irrigation, land, agri research

Staff Correspondent
Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech gave priority to irrigation with surface water, increasing arable land, allocations to agricultural research to make Bangladesh self-sufficient in food by 2012.
The minister, however, proposed slashing subsidyfor agriculture inputs.
"We believe our farmers will survive if agriculture thrives, if farmers survive the country will prosper," Muhith said in his budget speech yesterday giving high priority to agriculture and rural development.
In theTk 113,819 crore proposed budget for (he 2009-10 fiscal year, the finance minister allocated 7.9 percent of the budget to agriculture, fisheries and livestock, rural development and water development.
Analysts said the measures were positive and those will help boost mid- and long-term agricultural production.
With overall allocation of Tk 5,965 crore for the Ministry of Agriculture, Muhith also proposed allocating funds to boost local fish production and the dairy products.
Underscoring the 22 percent contribution of agriculture sector to the GDP, the finance minister said the primary means to ensure food security is to develop the agriculture sector.
He focused on producing multiple crops by increased use of surface water for irrigation in southern areas and addressing the waterloggingissues in south-western region.
On the expansion of cultivable land, he proposed improving the drainage system in haor areas. The minister proposed an allocation of I k 1.000 crore for this purpose.
"We would like to bring 15,000 hectares of land under irrigation by making 40,000 hectares of land free from flooding. Besides there is a plan to excavate 40km and re-excavate 65km of irrigation canal and construct 15 and repair 50 irrigation infrastructure#,* he said.
Muhith also emphasised the need for protecting land from salinity, freeing land from water-logging, and recovering of 20,000 hectares of land in coastal areas by building dykes and embankments.
He said irrigation with surface water will reduce dependency on underground water, continuous extraction of which for irrigation and drinking purposes may cause arsenic contamination and increase salinity of soil.
"We believe our farmers will soon reap the benefits from these initiatives," Muhith said.
With an allotment of 11280 crore Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and Department of Agricultural Extension would work to produce more high-yielding seeds
The minister also said the government plans to increase the seed storage capacity of BADC.
He also proposed allocation of Tk 18521 crore for agricultural rehabilitation and agricultural research--a suggestion consistently given by analysts to develop new vari-. eties of crops needed to face the impact of climate change, salinity and drought.
A III 3,600 crore overall subsidy to agricultural inputs such as fertiliser was proposed. Tk 4,285 crore was proposed in the outgoing fiscal year's budget, which was revised toTk 5,785 crore.
Analysts said the reduction in farm subsidy will not hurt farmers since fertiliser prices dropped in the global market.
Mahabub Hossain, executive director of Brae, said, "It is positive on many fronts. But the question of proper implementation remains."