Population and Agricultural Land Use: Towards a Sustainable Food Production System in Bangladesh

The rate at which the population of Bangladesh is increasing, and the present level of technology, make it impossible to produce enough food for its population in the future. Population pressure has already begun to affect the environment and agricultural sustainability. Because of the intensive land use and biomass shortage cultivated soils are now being depleted of essential nutrients and organic matter. Fisheries, livestock and forestry resources are also under increasing environmental strain. With current technology it would be possible to produce 25.52 and 31.95 mill. tonnes of foodgrain by the year 2000 and 2010 AD. The current level is 18.5 mill. tonnes although greater potential exists. The production of oilseeds, sugar and fish could be doubled by the year 2010 AD. Increasing production would not be enough in view of population increases from 115 mill. today to 145, 177 and 232 mill. by the years 2000, 2010 and 2030, respectively. Unless, Bangladesh controls its population growth more effectively, regenerates already depleted agricultural resources and brings about a major breakthrough in agricultural technology, it will not be able to produce enough food to feed its own people after 2010 and continues to move towards major ecological disaster. In view of this critical situation, some measures have been recommended to control population, to regenerate agricultural resources, and future areas of research thrust.