Problems and Prospects of Agricultural Change on Efforts to Development in Rural Areas of Bangladesh A

Abstract

Agriculture has been the backbone of the economy in Bangladesh providing employment and source of livelihood for the increasing population. To improve agricultural productivity in rural areas of Bangladesh, a holistic solution rather mechanical, view of what drives and agricultural productivity need to be taken. This study has been conducted at Bilsha of Gurudaspur upazilla under the district of Natore in Bangladesh where all of the people directly or indirectly depend on agricultural production. People become happy in terms of any successful agricultural production and, also very unhappy and disappointed for the destruction of their production by any natural calamities or unfavorable conditions. After ‘Green Revolution’ agricultural production is increased more that is like High Yielding Varieties (HYV) produced more in the research area. Once upon a time they produced local varieties of crops that produced fewer amounts of crops like rice, mustard. The problems which are facing in the study area are identified by this research and also prospects in relation to agricultural production are also identified by this research. This research is completed through using sociological methods like social survey, case study and participatory rural appraisal, and tries to explore the agricultural change and its relations with development in rural areas of Bangladesh. Besides these, key informant interview method is also used in the present study. Through this research it is tried to know and identify the following subject matters: ►to know the socio-economic condition in terms of development of the rural people that are very much related with the agricultural production. ► to know the land tenure system in rural areas that is achieving and losing on the basis of successful agricultural production. ► to identify the nature of agricultural production and change that help to the real scenario of agricultural production in the study area and rural areas as well. . ► to investigate the nature of agro-ecological system that is important for agricultural production and soil fertility as well. ► to find out the environmental as well as climatic impact on agriculture that creates threat for the agricultural production in rural development. The major findings of the research are: agricultural production system has been changed in nature due to high yielding varieties and modern varieties crops, agricultural production has been increased because of high yielding varieties and modern varieties with respondent’s awareness, income has been increased in rural area for increasing agricultural production and creation of opportunities, savings has been increased in rural area due to the awareness and opportunities, occupational opportunities have been created in the rural area because of multiple crops production and other opportunities, tendency of taking education by the children has been increased because of creation opportunities and awareness of the respondents, the nature of land tenure system has been changed due to practice of leased and other systems, housing pattern has been developed in the rural area because of financial solvency and needs that imply the development of rural people, opportunities are creating in terms of development in rural area for multiple crops production and infrastructural development, agro-ecological system has been degraded due to over use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides, natural calamities create obstacle in agricultural production in many ways like draught, fog, hailstorm etc. Over all agricultural problems have negative impact on efforts to development and agricultural prospects have positive impact on efforts to development in the study area as well as rural areas of Bangladesh. This scenario imply that being an agricultural dominant country like Bangladesh has been improved remarkably in agriculture that helps to develop rural livelihood and opportunities in the rural areas of Bangladesh.