Promoting Agrifood Sector Transformation in Bangladesh

Promoting Agrifood Sector Transformation in Bangladesh PDF Author: Mansur Ahmed
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464816972
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 125

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Book Description
Agriculture plays a central role in Bangladesh’s economy, especially in rural areas, and further progress in agriculture will remain important as Bangladesh’s economy continues to evolve. Bangladesh has made significant agricultural policy reforms since the 1980s, which has largely contributed to achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. However, these policies are now creating headwinds, constraining the emergence of a more diversified production system. With rapid urbanization and income growth, dietary patterns are changing in Bangladesh and new market opportunities are emerging for diverse, safe, and nutritious foods. Thus, additional productive diversification in agriculture and modernization along the agri-food value chain are needed in order to allow the sector to seize the emerging domestic market opportunities. Promoting greater diversification and modernization of the agri-food sector in Bangladesh will require repurposing the country’s agricultural support along with increasing private investment, both along the agri-food value chain and in support services to that chain. The agri-food ecosystem analysis in the report has identified critical constraints to the diversification and modernization of the agri-food sector. The major productivity constraints include land fragmentation and informality in the land rental markets; limited access to quality seeds for nonpaddy crops; limited knowledge of and adoption of good agricultural practices, reflected in unbalanced use and overuse of inputs; and limited use of farmer aggregation models, which constrains the delivery of extension services, access to financing, and linking with markets. Other key constraints, which are preventing off-farm value addition and commercialization in the sector, include the limited number of formal off-takers; inadequate and costly marketing infrastructure and logistic services; inadequate upholding of appropriate food safety practices and product quality standards; and a poorly designed export subsidy policy. These constraints are exacerbated by other cross-sectoral issues, such as access to finance, and the overall challenges of the investment climate and competitiveness.

Promoting Agrifood Sector Transformation in Bangladesh

Promoting Agrifood Sector Transformation in Bangladesh PDF Author: Mansur Ahmed
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 1464816972
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 125

Get Book Here

Book Description
Agriculture plays a central role in Bangladesh’s economy, especially in rural areas, and further progress in agriculture will remain important as Bangladesh’s economy continues to evolve. Bangladesh has made significant agricultural policy reforms since the 1980s, which has largely contributed to achieving self-sufficiency in rice production. However, these policies are now creating headwinds, constraining the emergence of a more diversified production system. With rapid urbanization and income growth, dietary patterns are changing in Bangladesh and new market opportunities are emerging for diverse, safe, and nutritious foods. Thus, additional productive diversification in agriculture and modernization along the agri-food value chain are needed in order to allow the sector to seize the emerging domestic market opportunities. Promoting greater diversification and modernization of the agri-food sector in Bangladesh will require repurposing the country’s agricultural support along with increasing private investment, both along the agri-food value chain and in support services to that chain. The agri-food ecosystem analysis in the report has identified critical constraints to the diversification and modernization of the agri-food sector. The major productivity constraints include land fragmentation and informality in the land rental markets; limited access to quality seeds for nonpaddy crops; limited knowledge of and adoption of good agricultural practices, reflected in unbalanced use and overuse of inputs; and limited use of farmer aggregation models, which constrains the delivery of extension services, access to financing, and linking with markets. Other key constraints, which are preventing off-farm value addition and commercialization in the sector, include the limited number of formal off-takers; inadequate and costly marketing infrastructure and logistic services; inadequate upholding of appropriate food safety practices and product quality standards; and a poorly designed export subsidy policy. These constraints are exacerbated by other cross-sectoral issues, such as access to finance, and the overall challenges of the investment climate and competitiveness.

Evaluation of the project "Institutionalisation of food safety in Bangladesh for safer food"

Evaluation of the project Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 9251362068
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 58

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Book Description
The “Institutionalisation of food safety in Bangladesh for safer food” project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented between 2013 and December 2019, had as main objective to support the operationalisation of the newly established Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA). Support provided helped BFSA to define its role, objectives and activities, and to strengthen its capacities. The project also contributed to enhance institutional coordination and define mechanisms for establishing standards and regulations. Important advances were made in raising public awareness on the importance of food safety. The project also helped create a strong drive to adopt an integrated ‘farm-to-fork’ approach in the poultry and mango sectors. The introduction of a BSc degree course in food safety management is an important achievement for medium and long-term capacity development. Awareness was raised on the need for a risk-based approach with regard to allocating public resources for food control and inspection. More efforts should be made to integrate the principles of risk analysis applicable to food safety systems and to develop data collection and processing skills, risk ranking and risk assessment tools.

Bangladesh’s Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development Sector Assessment and Strategy

Bangladesh’s Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development Sector Assessment and Strategy PDF Author: Asian Development Bank
Publisher: Asian Development Bank
ISBN: 9292700510
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 129

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Book Description
This country sector assessment shows how rapid economic growth and climate change are impacting Bangladesh’s agriculture, natural resources, and rural development sector, and outlines ways the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is helping foster greater food security. With agriculture generating over 40% of jobs, it analyzes changing demand patterns, shows how the pandemic and food price rises have hit the sector, and explores how increasing production and adding value can help reduce rural poverty. It outlines how ADB is focusing on deepening value chains and agricultural commercialization, plus improving rural connectivity and natural resource management, to help improve livelihoods and bolster resilient rural development.

Numbers and Narratives in Bangladesh's Economic Development

Numbers and Narratives in Bangladesh's Economic Development PDF Author: Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9811606587
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 271

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Book Description
This book focuses on socio-economic developments of Bangladesh by challenging the dominant international narrative of the case being termed as “development surprise”, “development paradox” or “development conundrum,” given the absence of good governance. In doing so, the book examines the political economic dynamics and offers valuable insights into the current state of the Bangladeshi economy in light of stability, transformability and sustainability. Pointing to the ‘high’ rate of growth in gross domestic product (GDP) in Bangladesh, there is wide belief that economic growth can be obtained even without functioning institutions, and is more important than an inclusive political system. Advocates go on to argue that authoritarianism may be condoned as long as a steady course of development is perused. However, the inadequacy of comparative analysis in to the state of the economy of Bangladesh vis-à-vis other relevant economies makes such claims myopic and parochial. This book thus investigates the numbers and narratives to ascertain the validity of such assertions and lamentations by looking at the necessary and sufficient conditions of development. The necessary conditions imply an incisive inquiry into the factors of economic growth— land, labour, capital and technology while sufficient conditions warrant a penetrating incisive inquiry into the factors of economic growth— land, labour, capital and technology. As such, the book explores development by drawing variables of politics and economics to find out a causal relationship, and interjects these variables have on themes such as growth, agriculture, manufacturing industry, financial sector, health, education, poverty and inequality.

Why Agriculture Productivity Falls

Why Agriculture Productivity Falls PDF Author: Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir
Publisher: Purdue University Press
ISBN: 1612498345
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 171

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Book Description
Why Agriculture Productivity Falls: The Political Economy of Agrarian Transition in Developing Countries offers a new explanation for the decline in agricultural productivity in developing countries. Transcending the conventional approaches to understanding productivity using agricultural inputs and factors of production, this work brings in the role of formal and informal institutions that govern transactions, property rights, and accumulation. This more robust methodology leads to a comprehensive, well-balanced lens to perceive agrarian transition in developing countries. It argues that the existing process of accumulation has resulted in nonsustainable agriculture because of market failures—the result of asymmetries of power, diseconomies of scale, and unstable property rights. The book covers the historical shifts in land relations, productivity, and class relations that have led to present-day challenges in sustainability. The result is arrested productivity growth. Agrarian transition should be understood in the context of the wider economic development in society, including how political settlement and primitive accumulation inhibited the kind of property rights that encourage growth. Why Agriculture Productivity Falls is a much-needed corrective to the traditional understanding, because before we can increase productivity, we must understand the root causes of those challenges.

State, Market and Society in an Emerging Economy

State, Market and Society in an Emerging Economy PDF Author: Quamrul Alam
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1000906043
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 412

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Book Description
The economic and social development that Bangladesh has achieved in the past two decades has made Bangladesh a development paradox. This book tries to explain this paradox through a political economy lens. The book explains the linkages between the state, changing society and emerging private sector, and examines whether the social transformation taking place in Bangladesh has the potential to live up to the expectations of a middle- income country. The early part of the book unravels the myriad relations between the state, society and market to project the aspirations of a newly independent nation. It analyzes how political turmoil, militarization of politics, politicization of institutions, reforms initiatives, industrial and social development policies, and the power nexus influenced the nature of the political economy of Bangladesh. The book goes on to examine how domestic appetite for capital and raw materials, the digital revolution, and the capacity of the local market to absorb expanded economic activities have created an environment that catalyzes innovation and entrepreneurship. The book also explains how the country has attempted to transform from an agrarian to a manufacturing- based economy, with rapid growth in the ready- made garment industry, pisciculture, pharmaceuticals and the ICT sector. Bangladesh’s journey from an emerging economy towards a developed country would interest those researching on development economics and those in policy making.

Bangladesh’s agrifood system structure and drivers of transformation

Bangladesh’s agrifood system structure and drivers of transformation PDF Author: Diao, Xinshen
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
ISBN:
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 14

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Book Description
Bangladesh experienced strong annual economic growth of 6.6 percent between 2009 and 2019 (BBS 2021). While the global COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant growth slowdown in 2020, growth started to recover in 2021. However, the recovery was hampered by global commodity market disruptions related to the war in Ukraine beginning in 2022 and the global recession in 2023 (Arndt et al. 2023; Diao and Thurlow 2023). The World Bank (2023) projects growth of 5.2 percent for 2023 and 6.2 percent for 2024, which is slower than the country’s pre-pandemic growth rate. Rapid growth in the past has already led to significant structural shifts in Bangladesh’s economy along with a transformation within the agrifood system (AFS). In this brief, we unpack these trends and future projections further to understand how Bangladesh’s AFS is contributing to growth and transformation in the country.

Promoting the digitalization of small and medium-sized agrifood enterprises in Asia and the Pacific

Promoting the digitalization of small and medium-sized agrifood enterprises in Asia and the Pacific PDF Author: Gálvez Nogales, E.
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
ISBN: 9251384061
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 100

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Book Description
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) constitute the large majority of businesses both globally and in Asia and the Pacific. Despite their undeniable importance, the literature on SMEs in general, and agrifood SMEs in particular, is relatively limited. One specific area that deserves deeper consideration is the extent of digital engagement of agrifood SMEs along the agrifood value chain, from farm to retail and food services, in countries in Asia and the Pacific. The goal of this publication is to understand the current status of digitalization of agri-SMEs in Asia and the Pacific, what this process looks like and how to improve it. A value-chain approach was adopted to evaluate the digital maturity of all types of agri-SMEs across previously siloed categories – from farm to fork, and in the core and the extended value chain. The report analyses the benefits of digital transformation for agri-SMEs and the challenges they face in this process. Next, the report outlines practical and actionable measures that governments and other stakeholders may undertake to help agrifood SMEs stay ahead in the digital age. Special attention is given to the creation of a digital environment that enables agri-SMEs to increase the efficiency of their operations and allow them to grow. This is particularly important given that many agri-SMEs are located in rural agricultural areas, (where more than half of the population in Asia and the Pacific still resides), but where the environment is less favourable to digital transformation.

Inclusion in agri-food systems in Bangladesh: the digital innovation and transformation initiative

Inclusion in agri-food systems in Bangladesh: the digital innovation and transformation initiative PDF Author: Sarker, F.
Publisher: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Initiative on Digital Innovation
ISBN:
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 11

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Book Description
Agriculture has played a crucial role in supporting smallholder livelihoods in Bangladesh. Despite being actively involved in various stages of production, including seed sowing, harvesting, and postharvesting, women's contributions are often undervalued. They are often regarded as a cheap labor force and are not given meaningful roles in the supply and value chains. One of the primary challenges they face is the lack of access to and ownership of land, which results in limited and unequal access to resources such as credit, services, markets, and information on modern technologies. These disparities hinder women's participation in market systems and further widen gender gaps and digital divides. Studies have shown that Bangladesh has one of the highest gender gaps in mobile internet usage among low and middle-income countries. This study examines the gender digital divide in Bangladesh, focusing on the reasons behind women's exclusion from digital information highways and their limited access to, use of, and benefits from internet-based agriculture and climate-related services and innovations. In addition to a comprehensive review of secondary data, we conducted a needs-based assessment using both quantitative and qualitative indicators in three divisions. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews. Both the qualitative and quantitative studies shed light on the social, economic, and contextual issues related to the digital ecosystem in the agriculture sector. The assessment also evaluates the effectiveness of public, private, and civil society interventions in the study areas. Our findings reveal that most digital initiatives fail to address the economic gaps and challenges faced by smallholder farmers, poor women, and rural youth. To address these challenges and promote gender equality in agriculture, it is crucial for the government to implement consistent policies across government agencies and develop strategies that prioritize closing digital divides in the agricultural sector.

Transformation of Agri-Food Systems

Transformation of Agri-Food Systems PDF Author: K. C. Bansal
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 9819980143
Category : Food supply
Languages : en
Pages : 375

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Book Description
Zusammenfassung: This edited volume covers all major topics related to agri-food transformation towards sustainability in this era of climate change. The topics cover field crops, horticultural crops, livestock sector, nutritional aspects, application of latest field-based technologies, and agriculture related policies and institutions. Some of the key topics are: Innovations for Reconfiguring Food Systems; Transforming High-value Food Commodities; Demand-Supply of Agri-food Commodities; Balancing Human Demand and Ecological Sustainability; International Partnership for Transformation of Agri-Food Systems; Transforming Animal Health and Aquatic Food Systems for Food Security; Climate Resilient Agriculture; Addressing Nutritional Security through Natural Resource Management; Water Harvesting and Improving Water Productivity; Combating Micronutrient Deficiencies; Plant Genetic Resources for Food Security and Nutrition; Genome Editing for Crop Improvement; and Biosafety and Socioeconomic Considerations. Written by experts, this book serves in exchanging and sharing the latest research findings, ideas and experiences on all aspects of agri-food systems to enable the formulation of the ways forward to transform our agri-food system to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations by 2030. The target audience include academicians, researchers, students, farmers, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and others