"SEC | S20W4: "ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE ECONOMY"

Hello Steemian friends. I hope everyone is fine; Alhamdulillah, I am fine too. Today I will be participating in the Season 20 Week 04 Steemit Engagement Challenge in the Agro Community titled "SEC | S20W4: Role of Agriculture in the Economy". Hearty love, and thanks to @xkool24 sir, for organizing such a beautiful learning engagement.

Explain the social and industrial roles of agriculture in your country, sighting one of the main grown crops.

The social and industrial role of agriculture in Bangladesh is very important. It is considered one of the main pillars of the country's economy, lifestyle and culture. Most of the country's people are directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, and the agricultural profession is the main driving force of rural society in Bangladesh.

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Social Role:

Improvement of standard of living: A large part of the rural population of Bangladesh is engaged in agriculture. They provide food production and livelihood through agriculture. This improves their quality of life and reduces the poverty rate.
Relationship Formation: Farming creates cooperative relationships in villages, which creates a strong social bond.
Part of culture: Crop production and agriculture are an important part of Bangladeshi culture. Various harvest times, such as New Year or Navanna festival, are celebrated, reflecting the cultural value of agriculture.

Industry Introduction

Source of raw material: Agriculture provides raw materials for various industries like the jute industry, yarn and textile industry, food processing industry, etc.
Export Earnings: Bangladesh earns a large amount of foreign exchange by exporting agricultural products, especially jute, tea, vegetables and fruits abroad.
Employment: The Agriculture sector creates direct and indirect employment opportunities for a large number of people.

A staple crop of Bangladesh Rice:

Rice is the staple crop of Bangladesh and one of the main sources of food security in the country. About 70% of the country's agricultural land is used for rice cultivation. Rice is not only limited to food production but also contributes greatly to the country's economy. Paddy produces rice which is the country's staple food and a strong base of the rural economy.

How has this main-grown agriproduct helped in reducing poverty and as well promote rural development in your country?

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Agricultural production has played an important role in poverty reduction and rural development in countries like Bangladesh.
Increase in income: Production of agricultural products, especially paddy, jute, wheat, and vegetables, has helped increase the income of the villagers.
Employment Generation: Employment has been created directly and indirectly in the agriculture sector. Apart from agriculture, employment opportunities have increased in agricultural processing, transportation, marketing, and export sectors, which have contributed to the reduction of unemployment.
Food Security: Increased production of major food grains has ensured food security in the country, which has helped improve the standard of living of the rural population.
Development of local industries: Various industries have developed in rural areas focusing on jute and other agricultural products. Jute, weaving, and other local industries flourished, creating new sources of income for the villagers.
Increase in Export Earnings: Export of jute, tea, and other agricultural products has made it possible to earn foreign exchange, which has helped in the overall economic development of the country.
Empowerment of women: As more women are involved in the agricultural sector, their financial empowerment has increased.
Freedom from poverty:Agriculture is helping rural families out of their poverty.

What are the main challenges facing your country's top crops (e.g., cocoa, palm, maize, wheat, rice, etc.) in terms of economic impact?

The agricultural sector in Bangladesh is a major pillar of the country's economy and the production of various crops plays a major role in the country's food security, exports and economy. However, there are some major challenges in producing top crops, as follows:

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Weather and Climate Change: Climate change is having a major impact on crops like rice, wheat, and maize in Bangladesh. In particular, floods, droughts, salinity and cyclones cause crop damage, reducing production and reducing farmers' incomes.
Lack of advanced technology: Many farmers cannot use advanced agricultural technology. This results in lower crop productivity and increased cost of production, which economically harms farmers.
Water Crisis: Supply of adequate water for agricultural irrigation is a challenge. In the dry season, production declines due to insufficient water for irrigation, especially in rice.
Incidence and Disease: Various types of insects and diseases are a major challenge in rice and other crops. This results in crop damage and reduced productivity.
Shortage of quality seeds and equipment:
Many farmers do not get the financial support they need to purchase improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural machinery. There are constraints on agricultural credit and government incentives, which hamper production.
Market Volatility:Market prices of agricultural produce are often volatile, which is a major problem for farmers. They cannot sell their crops at the right time or are forced to sell at low prices, causing them economic losses.
Infrastructural problems: Infrastructural problems in storage and marketing of agricultural produce, such as lack of proper storage and lack of proper transportation system, increase wastage of produce.

These challenges have a direct impact on Bangladesh's agricultural production, which has a negative impact on the country's economy and makes the livelihood of farmers difficult.

What current or past government initiatives are boosting agricultural productivity in your country?

Several initiatives have been taken by the government at various times to increase agricultural productivity in Bangladesh, which have had a positive impact on the country's agricultural sector.

1. During various calamities or epidemics, the government announces agricultural incentive packages, thereby encouraging farmers to engage in agriculture.
2. Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation has been providing quality seeds, fertilizers and irrigation facilities to farmers. The organization helps farmers adopt improved agricultural technology, which has helped increase crop productivity.
3. The Government has at various times formulated the National Agricultural Policy, through which plans and strategies have been adopted to increase production and ensure food security in the agricultural sector.
4. The government has launched Farmers Digital Services to bring information technology benefits to farmers.
5. The "One House One Farm" scheme was launched to financially empower rural farmers and increase their productivity. Through this scheme, farmers have an opportunity to earn additional income besides their livelihood through small-scale agriculture and animal husbandry.
6. More than half of the population of Bangladesh is women, so the government has been able to employ women through various programs and training.

So, all in all, it can be said that different steps or assistance of the Bangladesh government at different times has boosted the pace of agriculture in Bangladesh. As a result, agriculture is playing a unique role in the economy of Bangladesh.

What solutions can enhance agricultural productivity and growth in your country?

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Several effective solutions can be adopted to increase agricultural productivity and growth in Bangladesh. The steps which will further increase the agricultural production in the agricultural sector of the country are given below:

1. Ensuring the use of advanced technology in agriculture.
2. Supply of better quality seeds and fertilizers.
3. Productivity can be increased through the development of irrigation systems and proper utilization of water resources.
4. Climate change is a major issue for agriculture in Bangladesh, so help cultivate climate-tolerant crops.
5. To provide various programs and training to impart proper knowledge about agriculture.
6. Farmers should be provided agricultural loans and financial assistance on easy terms so that they can buy improved seeds, fertilizers, and machinery and invest in crop production.
7. Agricultural marketing and conservation systems need to be developed to ensure fair prices for crops.
8. Government subsidies to increase agricultural production.
9. Advising and assisting farmers online through information technology in agriculture.

Invited by @mahadisalim @enamul17 @shahid76 to participate in a beautiful learning engagement challenge.