The New Nation - Internet Edition

The agricultural sector plays a very significant role in the Bangladeshi economy as well as socially and culturally. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) emphasizes agriculture and rural development as key sectors for poverty reduction and pro-poor economic growth.

Denmark and Bangladesh have a long history of bilateral cooperation in agriculture, fishery and livestock. The Danish support to the agriculture sector started in late 80s and in 90s with Mymensingh Aquacultural Extension Project (1989), and later Smallholder Livestock Development Project (1992), Integrated Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Management Project (1993), Integrated Pest Management Project (1997), Patuakhali, Barguna Aquacultural Extension Project (1997), Participatory Livestock Development Project (1998) and Greater Noakhali Aquacultural Extension Project (1998).

Denmark's strategy to support the agricultural sector in Bangladesh includes a strong poverty reduction focus, together with special emphasis on poorer women, nutrition, marketing and environment. The support emphasises technology generation and delivery of essential services nearer to the farmers' doorsteps.

Denmark's support to agricultural development in Bangladesh has consistently been channelled through Government of Bangladesh. This approach has been advantageous since these interventions have been well anchored at national level and have had significant impact on present policies and strategies. Denmark also aims at harmonising its development assistance with other donor funded programmes in the same sector and geographic areas.

In July 2000 the Governments of Denmark and Bangladesh launched a sector programme support for agriculture i.e. Agriculture Sector Programme Support Phase I (ASPS I). Ongoing, successful Danida financed projects initiated before 2000 and a few new projects-a total of 15 components on crops, fisheries, and livestock - were brought under the umbrella of the sector programme with the purpose of bringing more coordination and integration. The ASPS I also covered support to agricultural policy development. ASPS Phase I was completed in September 2006. The following results were achieved through ASPS I:

Crops Sub-Sector: Around 440,000 farmers trained on improved crop production technology.

Fishery and Livestock Sub-sectors: Around 600,000 farmers trained on improved aquaculture and livestock technology

Minor Road Components: 465 kilometres of rural roads were constructed. 3.3 million labour-days were generated to the benefit of 28,000 rural women.

Policy Development: National Integrated Pest Management Policy was a direct output of the Danish supported Integrated Pest Management project. Danish interventions also contributed in the formulation of other agricultural policies and strategies.

As a result of the annual consultations between governments of Denmark and Bangladesh in 2004 it was agreed to continue a second programme phase (ASPS II). The second phase is based on the lessons learnt from the first phases of the ASPS I and the Transport Sector Programme Support (TSPS).

Agriculture Sector Programme Phase II (2006-2011) addresses key strategic issues such as a) capacity development of farmers by involving poor women and men in Farmer Field Schools and promoting the spread of knowledge through training of Farmer Trainers, b) promotion of farmers organisations, c) develop the negotiating capacity of farmers organisations to formulate and demand adequate agricultural extension services from the public and private sector, d) agricultural diversification in particular in livestock and fishery/aquaculture with increased awareness about production, food use and nutrition linkages, e) promoting decentralisation in agriculture through capacity development of Union Parishads f) integration of minor road activities into the ASPS with support to rural roads and market access, g) capacity development of relevant government department/agencies and h) providing support to the Planning Commission and the line ministries for institutional and policy development.

ASPS Phase II consists of three components, namely 1) Regional Fisheries and Livestock Development Component promoting integrated aquaculture/fishery and livestock development and implemented jointly by the Department of Livestock Services and the Department of Fisheries, 2) Agricultural Extension Component promoting integrated crop management through Farmer Field School implemented by the Department of Agricultural Extension, and 3) Rural Road and Market Access Component implemented by the Local Government Engineering Department. In addition to these three components support is provided to the institutional support units in the Planning Commission, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the Ministry of Agriculture. The total budget of ASPS II is DKK 610 million with DKK 531 million (87%) Danish contribution

ASPS II targets to a) train 200,000 poor households on integrated crop management, b) train 500,000 poor households on improved aquaculture and livestock technology and c) construct 250 kilometre rural roads and create 2.3 million labour days to the benefit of 15,000 rural women.