Investment in the country’s agricultural sector needs to be increased to ensure food security, and the government should offer more flexible agricultural loan schemes to farmers, experts said at a discussion yesterday.
Titled “Trialogue on Development, People’s Option and Space: 30 Years of Fighting Poverty, Injustice and Exclusion” and organised by ActionAid Bangladesh to celebrate its 30 years of service in Bangladesh, the event was held at Chhayanaut auditorium in Dhaka and saw politicians, businessmen, farmers, rights activists, youth and women representatives, and others in attendance.
The discussion was conducted by Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid in Bangladesh.
Speaking at the discussion, lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badshah said: “There is a serious lack of coordination in different departments of the government. The state has created an anti-farmer situation, and the agricultural sector is left to the hands of market economy. We experienced how it had a negative impact on the sector after 1/11, as we faced food crisis then. We also saw how farmers destroyed tomatoes and potatoes because they did not get fair price.
“We should free agriculture from such market system. It is not a good news that we are exporting rice; we need to have more food sufficiency before doing that,” he opined.
He also said the finance minister had announced to start agriculture insurance during the last budget session, but it had yet to happen. Shirin Akhter, another member of parliament, said: “To ensure food security we need to build up strong political commitment.”
Humayun Rasheed, senior vice-president at Dhaka Chambers of Commerce and Industries, said: “The job preferences in our country has changed. Everyone wants a more glamorous profession than farming. They are no longer interested to study or be involved in agriculture.
“We are producing larger volume of food now, but we do not have the facilities to store such a large quantity. We need to build modern facilities for proper food storage, and ensure hassle-free distribution for the farmers, in order to help build a strong agricultural industry in the country,” he said.
Monir Ahmed, a farmer from Noakhali and president at Kendriyo Krishak Maitree, said: “The businessmen get the opportunities to acquire government loan, but such facilities are always out of reach for the farmers. This is a major reason behind the downfall of farmers, and it also forces them to migrate to Dhaka and seek employment in other areas.”
He further said: “The rate of interest for the loans that are available for the farmers is so high that it takes years for them to be able to pay off the debt.
