Agriculture is the largest source of employment in Bangladesh. As of 2016, it accounts for 48 percent of the total labor force and 16 percent of the country's GDP. [1] The role of this sector in the country's macro-economy such as job creation, poverty alleviation, human resource development and food security is undeniable.
A large part of the people of Bangladesh depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Although paddy and jute are the main crops here, wheat is of great importance. Tea is cultivated in the north-eastern region. Due to the abundance of fertile land and water, paddy is produced and cultivated three times a year in many parts of Bangladesh. Despite the unfavorable weather, the level of improvement in food production in Bangladesh's labor-intensive agriculture has been achieved for a number of reasons. The reasons include flood control and irrigation, optimal use and supply of fertilizers and bringing rural people under debt. In 2000, the production of rice was 35.6 million metric tons, which is the main crop of Bangladesh. Domestic use of a variety of pesticides used in rice, such as granular carbofuran, synthetic pyrothroids, and malathion, exceeded 13,000 tons in 2003. [2] Bangladesh Rice Research Institute is working with various NGOs and international organizations to reduce the use of pesticides in rice. [3]
Compared to paddy, wheat production in 1999 was 19 million metric tons. The pressure of the growing population is constantly hampering the flow of production which is responsible for creating food shortages, of which wheat is one. Foreign aid and trade imports are filling this gap. [4] Unemployment is a major problem and one of the main concerns in the agricultural sector in Bangladesh. Finding alternative sources of employment will be a complex issue for future governments, especially with landless farmers who provide half of rural labor.
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Planning and Implementation: Cabinet Division, A2I, BCC, DoICT and BASIS