A GRADUAL loss of agricultural land poses a threat to food security. A Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics survey report says that farmland has been eroded by 3.75 per cent over eight years. The survey, covering 2015–2023 and highlighting some critical environmental and climate issues, says that a lack of commitment to saving farmland and rapid, unplanned urbanisation are mainly responsible for the loss. The survey also says that natural forest cover has decreased by 5.41 per cent in the period although there has been a 27.36 per cent increase in planted forests. The loss of farmland and natural forests has a direct impact on food production and food security. The gradual loss will only exacerbate the already fragile food security. Bangladesh slipped by three notches in the Global Hunger Index 2024 and ranked 84th among 127 nations. The alarming state of farmland loss came to light in a number of studies too, but the authorities appear to have taken little effective measures to save agricultural land.
The Agricultural Census 2019, for instance, shows that net cultivable land had decreased by 2 per cent over a decade. The decline has for long been a matter of concern as the economy still heavily relies on agricultural production and unplanned industrialisation along with the unauthorised conversion of farmland for commercial use continues unchecked. Experts point out that ambiguities in land use legislation, coupled with weak enforcement, are a major contributing factor to the steady loss of farmland. Enacting an effective law is, therefore, an essential first step towards a better land governance. Legislation alone, however, cannot effectively halt the destruction of arable land. Reports have documented cases where influential individuals or groups have repurposed farmland for commercial ventures in violation of laws and regulations while the authorities have largely remained indifferent. The widespread loss of topsoil because of illegal brick kilns is another known issue. A previous study estimates that around 25 billion bricks are produced annually using conventional methods that destroy about 100 million tonnes of topsoil. The government has not only failed to curb the commercial misuse of agricultural land but has in many instances undertaken development projects that have caused the destruction of farmland.
The government should, therefore, take the issue of farmland loss and associated risks of food insecurity seriously and take early steps to amend laws and rework policies. The government needs to take action against industrial establishments and brick kilns illegally built on agricultural land and review the land use policy to stop its development projects that destroy farmland.
