ABSTRACT
Agriculture is the primary economic sector of Bangladesh employed almost 60% of the labour force and contributed nearly 30% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2000 (Husain 2003). After 20 years, these stand now at 40% and 25%, respectively (PC 2020). In spite of a gradual increase in agricultural production, its relative share of the GDP has been declining, too, due to expansion of other areas of the economy. Nevertheless, the economic development of the country is intricately linked with the development of agriculture, which will remain, directly or indirectly, the key sector, at least for the next decade or two to come. Rice production, a staple food, for example, has been increasing sustainably over the last two decades. Rice crops have dominated the agriculture sector, as discussed in this chapter, over the last 50 years. In spite of natural, technological, and socio-economic constraints, Bangladeshi agriculture has been making good progress. The pace of progress has been quite impressive since the mid-1990s. In this development process, the farmers are playing a vital role. In both the crop and non-crop sub-sectors, they are showing a high degree of resilience and innovation. They have started responding to market forces and technological changes. They have also learnt to respond to natural calamities by shifting cropping patterns. A process of transformation has started away from purely subsistence agriculture to increasing diversification, leading to specialization.
