Agriculture Extension system in Bangladesh

COUNTRY PAPERON

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SYSTEM IN BANGLADESH

Presented by

Md. Hamidur Rahman, Project Director

Second Crop Diversification Project (SCDP)and Additional Director

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Dhaka, Bangladesh

Agricultural Extension System - Md. Hamidur Rahman2

Bangladesh•Lies in the North Eastern Part of South Asia between 20º 34' and 26º 38' north latitude and 88º 01' and 92º 41' east longitude.•The country is bounded by India on the west, north and northeast while Myanmar on the south-east and the Bay of Bengal on the south.• Total Area: 147,570 Sq. Km.•Population: 155.05 million•Land for Agriculture use is: 7.93 million ha.• Agricultural land is declining by about 1% per year and the land quality is deteriorating.

BBS 2013

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Agriculture contributes about 19% to the national economy including fisheries (3.7%) & Livestock (4%) but contribution to employment about 53%

Incidence of poverty declined from more than 80% during 70s to 31.5 % in 2010

Long history of Agricultural extension service Major crops are rice, wheat, jute, maize, potato,

fruits, vegetables, pulses, oilseed, spices etc. Fisheries and livestock are also productive sector Country has 80% flat alluvial soil, 8% hill Cropping intensity is about 191 % in 8 million ha

Agriculture At a GlanceAgriculture At a Glance

Agricultural Extension System in Bangladesh - Md. Hamidur Rahman

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Dominated by smallholders, Av. farm size 0.0946 ha. 53% family having less than .20 ha of land and marked as landless on the other hand only 1% farm family having av.3.3 ha. of land remaining 36% farmers are small and marginal farmers (av. land size 0.80 ha.)

Rice covers nearly 75% of cropped area Irrigated area covers 7.06 million ha. of the total cultivated

land 75% women and 58% men involved in vegetable crops,

49% Women & 38% men in poultry, 51% women 62% & men in livestock,40% women & 58% men in fruit crops, 9% women & 75% men field crops and 5% women and 24% in Fish/prawns.

Fairly developed research-extension linkage, having extensive research and extension network

Emerging private sector in tech transfer through media & private dealers.

Agriculture is involved with number of Ministries:Min of Aagriculture (Crops), Min. of Fisheries & Livestock, Min. of Environment & Forest

Agriculture At a GlanceAgriculture At a Glance

Agricultural Extension System in Bangladesh- Md. Hamidur Rahman

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Historically, Research, Extension, Education & Training were under the same directorate (Dept of Agriculture)

With the expansion of large no. of actors and system diversity, directorate was divided into separate departments during 1973.

In 1982, reorganization of extension service as Dept of Ag Extension (DAE) merging Jute Production, Plant Protection, Horticulture Dev Board, Tobacco Dev Board etc.

Research institutes emerged as autonomous bodies

Agricultural Extension System in Bangladesh- Md. Hamidur Rahman

The objectives of the Extension Policy are to:•Improve the productivity and production of primary food crops to sustain National Food Security•Increase farm income and employment through increased diversification of the sector with high value crops and farm enterprises linked with domestic and international markets•Improve longer term sustainability of the use and conservation of Natural Resources including mitigation of climate change induced vulnerabilities.•Mobilize, build and develop farmer groups and organizations for better access to technologies, information and markets through aggregation, economies of scale and building social capital.• Help alleviate poverty among tiny, small and marginal farmers including removal of nutritional imbalances and ensuring food safety.

The objectives of the Extension Policy are to:•Improve the productivity and production of primary food crops to sustain National Food Security•Increase farm income and employment through increased diversification of the sector with high value crops and farm enterprises linked with domestic and international markets•Improve longer term sustainability of the use and conservation of Natural Resources including mitigation of climate change induced vulnerabilities.•Mobilize, build and develop farmer groups and organizations for better access to technologies, information and markets through aggregation, economies of scale and building social capital.• Help alleviate poverty among tiny, small and marginal farmers including removal of nutritional imbalances and ensuring food safety.

Small Scale Marginal

34%Medium 12% Large scale

Commercial 2%Farm Families

Production Technology

Value Addition Technology, Market

AccessInputs CreditFarmers’ Needs

Public Agencies Private Extension NGOs and Scheduled Banks

Extension Service Provider

Extension Approaches

• Training • Demonstration• Field Days • FFS• Promote Local service provider • On farm collection Point

• Contract Farming• Inputs dealers and retailer training • Group Formation

• Provision of Credits

Research System and UniversitiesTechnology Development

Agriculture Extension System in Bangladesh

Ministry of Agriculture, Government of BangladeshDepartment of Agricultural Extension

The National Agriculture Extension Policy draws from the fore-going constraint analysis and derives the following strategic approaches considering the competitive and strategic advantages for Bangladesh.

1.Differentiated Approach to Suit Location Specific Demands.2.Targeting the Tiny, Marginal and Small Holders.3.Recognizing Farmers as Partners in Development.4.Synergizing Producer Organizations to Address Value Chain Constraints.5.Reinventing Integrated Whole Farm Approach.6.Value Added Facilitation Style of Extension Agents.7.Pluralistic and De-centralized Approach. Promoting e-Agriculture.

Strategic Shifts and Guiding Principles

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8. Enhanced Capacity Building of Extension Personnel9. Investment in Common Productive Assets to

Augment Information Support.10.Promoting e-Agriculture11.Copping with Climate Changes and Balancing

Environmental Issues.12.Refocus on Social Safeguard Considerations.13.Alignment, Harmonization and Coordination.14.Stop use of agriculture land for non-agricultural

purpose15.Strengthening extension program.16.Strengthening research –extension coordination

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17. Importance on crop diversification & crop zoning.18.Step towards improve soil health.19. Importance on using agriculture inputs support card.

Thank you10

Agricultural Extension System - Md. Hamidur Rahman