AGRICULTURE AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN BANGLADESH: IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN SECURITY

Abstract

The study set out to determine the relationship between agriculture and employment generation with human security, as well as examine the status of Agriculture and Employment Generation in Bangladesh. It also sought to identify the contributions, challenges and prospects associated with agriculture and employment generation in Bangladesh, and proffered strategies to enhance agriculture for employment generation, in addition to the sector’s utility as a means of ensuring food security in the country. The study adopted the descriptive method in document analysis. Published and unpublished materials were studied in their various forms. To this end, official documents and publications as well as unstructured interviews of a sample of respondents that were involved in agricultural activities were carried out. The unstructured interviews were conducted through telephone to some relevant personality involved in agriculture sectors. The study found out that agricultural growth has been hampered by constrained access to agricultural credit facilities, low level of mechanisation and lack of adequate and timely intervention by government in the supply of critical and complementary inputs. Other findings are lack of adequate support from agricultural institutions, ineffective agriculture extension services resulting in inadequate training of the farmers, limited land resource and the challenges posed by climate change. The strategies proffered to mitigate the challenges are crop diversification, diligent implementation of the national agricultural policy, improved access to agricultural credit facilities and agricultural sector reforms. Others are improved budgetary allocation to agriculture, improved mechanization, ensuring a fair price regime for agricultural produce and capacity development among others. Based on research findings, the study proffered some strategies and made recommendations to enhance employment through agriculture. Some of the recommendations include proper coordination among ministries with respect to agricultural activities, making agricultural credit facilities less stringent for farmers and reviewing existing agricultural policies. Others are increased subvention to agricultural research institutions, provision or redistribution of land for agricultural purposes and evolving a deliberate policy to encourage mechanised farming.