Experts and policymakers have called for government subsidies to promote the production and use of organic fertilizers, citing concerns over declining soil fertility, food nutrition and the sustainability of agriculture in Bangladesh.
Despite achieving self-sufficiency in food production, Bangladesh continues to face nutritional challenges, ranking 84th among 122 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026. Meanwhile, prolonged dependence on chemical fertilizers has contributed to declining soil fertility, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of agricultural production.
The call was made at a roundtable titled “Subsidizing and Promoting Organic Fertilizer for Healthy Soil, Crops and Environment” at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka on Monday.
ActionAid Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), in collaboration with 20 national and international development organizations and 5 universities, jointly organized the event.
Agricultural experts, government officials, development organizations, farmers and organic fertilizer entrepreneurs discussed barriers to production, registration, marketing and use, along with ways to facilitate access to government subsidies.
Speakers highlighted administrative complications in registering organic fertilizer products and gaps in quality assessment and monitoring mechanisms. While acknowledging that organic fertilizers may produce lower yields than chemical alternatives in some cases, they stressed their importance in maintaining soil health and improving crop quality.
They also called for balanced fertilizer use based on soil conditions and crop requirements.
Dr Md Abdus Salam, executive chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), attended the first technical session as the chief guest. He discussed the existing registration process for entrepreneurs and invited recommendations to simplify it.
Mosammat Sabira Sultana, MP and member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture, attended the event as a special guest.
“Just as keeping a mother healthy help ensure the birth of a healthy child, maintaining soil health makes it possible to produce nutritious crops,” she said.
She stressed the importance of quality assurance, effective marketing and identifying genuine farmers under the Farmer Card initiative.
Sultana urged participants to prepare specific proposals and an action plan for the balanced use of organic and chemical fertilizers. She pledged to raise the recommendations with the parliamentary standing committee, parliament and the prime minister.
Anwar Faruque, director of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, attended the second technical session as the chief guest and proposed introducing a district-level registration system for organic fertilizer entrepreneurs.
“There is no alternative to natural methods if we are to make agriculture sustainable,” he said, emphasizing balanced fertilizer use and the need to provide farmers with accurate, science-based information.
Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid Bangladesh, called for coordinated efforts to strengthen quality control, address marketing irregularities and reduce administrative barriers. She also expressed the organization's willingness to work with the government on necessary policy reforms.
The second session was chaired by Professor Dr Abdul Karim of the International University of Business, Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT).
Dr M Nazim Uddin of BARI and Professor Dr Md Mizanur Rahman of Gazipur Agricultural University presented research papers during the 2 sessions.
The discussions are expected to inform the development of a policy framework for subsidies, simpler registration procedures and stronger quality assurance mechanisms for organic fertilizers.
