SUSTAINABLE agriculture seeks to meet today鈥檚 food needs while it shoul ensure that future generations can also thrive. It is about finding the right balance between social fairness, economic stability and environmental care. In Bangladesh, where agriculture, which supports nearly 40 per cent of the work force, is a cornerstone of the economy, embracing sustainable practices is more important than ever. These practices have the potential to improve food security, reduce poverty and combat the growing threat of climate change.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of the economy, accounting for around 11.02 per cent of gross domestic product in 2024. It employs millions, ensures food security and is critical to export, particularly rice, jute and fish. As Export Promotion Bureau data show, the country saw an export of around $5.1 million in the 2022 financial year from rice. The average annual export of jute and jute goods amounts to $1 billion, as Bangladesh Investment Development Authority data show. As EPB data show that Bangladesh earned $329 million from shrimp export and $12.3 million from crab export only to China.
Bangladesh is the fifth largest fish producers in the world. It is the third largest producer of rice and the second largest producer of jute. The standing can certainly be further pushed up with the implementation of sustainable agriculture practices. Furthermore, the challenges such as population pressure, shrinking farm land, water scarcity and climate change issues also necessitate a shift towards sustainable agriculture practices.
Now the question is: what is sustainable agriculture? Sustainable agriculture has on three core objectives: maintaining environmental health, ensuring economic viability and promoting social and economic equity.
Sustainable agriculture practices are required to ensure that the existing and traditional approach of using chemical fertilisers and pesticides can be replaced with organic fertilisers. The use of chemical fertilisers have many negative side-effects. For example, an excessive use of nitrogen may lead to reduced production of biomass and less diversity of plant species, eventually increasing the probability of droughts. In addition, chemical fertilisers also cause a gradual increase in acidity in the soil.
Studies show that only 0.1 per cent of the pesticides eventually reaches the plants they are targeted for, leaving the rest to the environment for only degrading its own health. Essential sustainable agriculture practices include diversifying crops, adopting organic farming methods, practising conservation tillage, implementing integrated pest management and optimising water use. Sustainable agriculture practices ranges from organic farming, integrated pest management and agroforestry up to the implementation of precision agriculture.
Precision agriculture is a farming management approach that focuses on observing, measuring and responding to variability within and between fields to optimise crop production. Its primary benefits include increased yields and improved profitability for farmers. Additionally, precision agriculture enhances working conditions and supports environmental sustainability through a better resource management, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.
Sustainable practices like organic farming and agroforestry generate jobs in rural areas. The focus on labour-intensive methods creates employment opportunities, particularly for women. Fish farming faces challenges such as low fish density, high feeding costs and poor pond habitat management, leading to reduced yields and increased mortality. Agriculture often suffers from imbalanced use of inputs such as fertilisers and water, leading to reduced productivity and efficiency. Traditional practices rely on surface broadcasting fertiliser, surface irrigation, and excessive pesticide application, which harm crop yields. The implementation of precision agriculture is not an easy task. There are several constraints that we need to encounter and overcome on a daily basis to ensure that we can change lives and improve the environmental health for the betterment of the country and her people.
Limited awareness and education: Farmers often lack knowledge of sustainable practices. Training programmes are the first steps towards bridging this gap. Significant hands-on trainings are often necessary throughout the implementation phase of precision agriculture projects to ensure that they understand the applicability of the novel technological marvels those are brought to them through PA solution providers.
Financial constraints: Adopting sustainable techniques requires significant initial investments for the service providers, which many small firms cannot afford. Working capital supports, grants and subsidies are critical for the research and development and growth phases of the start ups focusing on precision agriculture. Unfortunately, despite promises by the government and the financial institutions, precision agriculture startups can hardly receive working capital finance. Therefore, cash-strapped firms often find it difficult to accept large projects with extraordinary growth potential only due to lack of sufficient financing options from conventional banking system.
Some precision agriculture solutions are not feasible for share-croppers and small farmers. Therefore, an integrated ecosystem with entirely private sector partners or private-development-public sector partners or public-private partners are needed to make the solutions affordable for these marginalised community.
Policy and institutional barriers: While Bangladesh has policies promoting sustainable agriculture, implementation remains weak because of bureaucratic inefficiencies. Access to funds, people and technology are severely scarce. In addition, enabling policies are also lacking to establish and operate precision agriculture firms. The policymakers must understand that such firms need significant research and development investments throughout their operating lives. Direct and indirect subsidies along with efficient services at the policy sphere are vital for the survival and growth of the firms.
Climate change: Frequent floods, cyclones and droughts exacerbate the challenges of farming sustainably. Micro-insurance, crop insurance and other risk transfer mechanisms can effectively take care of these issues.
It is important to understand how sustainable agriculture can affect the economy by ensuring economic viability. Solar-powered irrigation systems promoted by the government under the Renewable Energy Policy 2008 have further reduced dependency on expensive diesel-powered pumps. This has saved farmers an estimated $127 per hectare annually in irrigation costs, reducing reliance on imported fuel and easing pressure on foreign exchange reserves. The reliance of the sector on fossil fuels for irrigation has historically led to high input costs. Farmers consume a large volume of diesel and electricity subsidies for irrigation, the cost of which to the government is around $50 million annually.
Additionally, precision agriculture, which uses advanced technologies and data analytics to optimise farming practices, is creating significant job opportunities. By increasing productivity, enhancing resource efficiency and fostering sustainable agricultural practices, precision agriculture is reshaping the rural economy and the labour market. The adoption of precision agriculture requires the use of specialised technologies such as GPS-guided equipment, soil sensors and automated irrigation systems. As precision agriculture technologies become more widespread, there is growing demand for IT professionals, engineers and technicians to install, manage, and maintain these systems. The Department of Agricultural Extension has noted that the implementation of technologies like satellite mapping and variable rate irrigation systems has spurred job creation for tech experts and field engineers who can assist in setting up and troubleshooting these advanced systems. Additionally, analysts are required to process the large amounts of data generated by precision farming tools to guide decision-making.
Digital platforms and mobile apps that support precision agriculture also create jobs, especially for the younger population in rural areas. These platforms provide farmers with real-time data on soil health, weather conditions, and crop management. As a result, there is an increasing need for rural service providers who can facilitate access to these digital tools, train farmers on their use, and offer tech support.
Sustainable agriculture also ensures social equity. As sustainable agriculture practices emphasises an equitable access to resources such as land, water and financial support. In Bangladesh, programmes supporting smallholder farmers, particularly women and marginalised groups, can empower communities and reduce disparities in rural areas. Moreover, encouraging community participation in agricultural decision-making ensures that the voices of under-represented groups are heard. This approach, integrated with cooperative farming models, can reduce power imbalances and foster collective benefits.
Sustainable agriculture holds immense potential to transform the economy by ensuring food security, creating jobs and addressing environmental challenges. With supportive policies and investment, Bangladesh can lead the way in sustainable farming practices, securing a better future for its people.
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Md Kamrul Bari is chief operating officer, Dr Saad Hasan is chair and chief executive officer and Dr Mohammad Rashedul Hoque is director of Nodes Digital Limited.
