Rice Vision for Bangladesh: 2050 and Beyond

Abstract

Combined efforts of farmers, rice scientists, extension personnel and Government of Bangladesh have yielded clean rice growth rate of 0.34 million ton (MT) year -1 during 2009-10 to 2013-14 in the country. In 2014-15, the country acquired a rice surplus of about 2 MT. However, maintaining the current surplus of rice in the coming decades is a great challenge. Authentic estimation of future rice requirement and future resource availability would guide to way forward. This paper presents rice vision for Bangladesh leading to 2050 and beyond. In this study, secondary data from different government-owned statistics and research institutes were collected, analyzed and synthesized to develop models and/or model parameters to generate outputs such as future population, rice production and rice requirement. Population of Bangladesh will reach 215.4 million in 2050, when 44.6 MT of clean rice will be required. With the pace of rice-production-increase in the last five years, production can reach 47.2 MT, having a surplus of 2.6 MT in 2050. The study sets 2.6 MT as the target for clean rice surplus every year leading to 2050 and beyond. Several hurdles, such as increasing population, decreasing resources and increasing climate vulnerability, can hinder achieving the target. Three major interventions-accelerating genetic gain, minimizing yield gap and curtailing adoption lag-are proposed to break the barriers to achieve the target. Major challenges to implement the interventions include shrinking net cropped area, decreasing availability of irrigation water and increasing pressure on soil fertility. Smart technology such as, location specific variety, profitable cropping sequences, innovative cultural management, and mechanization coupled with smart dissemination using multiple means would ease production barriers. We recommend a number of measures, such as, guaranteeing a minimum cropped area, accelerating the rate of genetic gain in varietal development and intensifying collaboration among the stakeholders to reduce adoption lag of newly released promising rice varieties, to achieve the rice vision of Bangladesh leading to 2050 and beyond.

Status of Rice False Smut Disease in Natore District of Bangladesh

“…Bangladesh is an agro-based country where rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food of her 163.65 million people (Kabir et al, 2015). Geographic and agro-ecological conditions of Bangladesh are favourable for rice cultivation (Aziz, 2014).…”

“…The 'food security' of Bangladesh is synonymous to 'rice security'. In addition, rice security is not only an economic issue but also an important parameter to determine social and political stability (Kabir et al, 2015). Therefore, keeping up the production of rice as per demand is very important for Bangladesh.…”

“…Decreasing resources (e.g. land, labour, soil health and water) and increasing climate vulnerability (e.g., drought, salinity, flood, heat, cold, tide and ebb, cyclone and hail storm) appeared as the great challenges to keep the pace of rice production in the background of increasing population (Kabir et al, 2015).…”

Density and Distribution of False Smut Balls on Infected Rice Panicles

“…The importance of the disease in Bangladesh has been highlighted in recent literatures (Nessa et al, 2015a, b, and c). The disease is predominant during T. Aman (late monsoonal rice) season in the country, which is hindering adoption of promising rice varieties, such as BRRI dhan49 (Kabir et al, 2015).…”

Soil Test Based Inorganic Fertilizer and Integrated Plant Nutrition System for Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) Cultivation in Inceptisols of Bangladesh

“…The population of Bangladesh is still growing by two million every year and may increase by another 30 million over the next 20 years (Magor et al, 2007). Thus, Bangladesh will require about 44.6 million tons of rice for the year 2050 (Kabir et al, 2016). Rice, therefore, needs to be grown using such technologies that will sustain rice yield and maintain soil health.…”