Bangladesh Country Investment Plan - Feed the Future

6 Priorities from
Consultation
Process (Brief
description of
activities)
B. Priority Interventions
Availability of quality inputs is a serious problem. All consultations put availability of
quality inputs at affordable prices as top priority. There is a strong need for quality
control, certification and accountability of inputs providers as well as a strengthened
regulatory system. The question of inputs links directly to another issue that arose—
soil fertility. Declining soil fertility in Bangladesh is resulting in micro nutrient
deficiency in the soil. Due to intensive cropping and unbalanced use of fertilizer the
soil fertility is declining fast. There is a strong need to promote balanced fertilizer use
for different crops.
The prioritization of activities linked to each of the interventions is as follows:
Capacity development for seed sector
Expansion of number of seed multiplication farms, seed processing and preservation
facilities of NARS, DAE, and contract growers (T). Strengthening capacity of SCA in
terms of HRD and laboratories (T). Participation of NGOs and private sector in seed
distribution (H). Production of quality se eds by the farmers (H). Establishing high
capacity laboratory of NARS, BADC and DAE for testing quality of seeds, fertilizers,
pesticides water and soils (M).
Enhance availability of agricultural inputs, tested and certified
for quality of diversified crops
Ensure availability of good quality and reasonable prices of all agricultural inputs
(seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, feeds, chicks, fingerling, semen, broods, and veterinary
drugs) (H).
Improve and increase sustainability of soil fertility management
Promote improved soil health management practices, introduce crop rotation with
legumes (T). Facilitate application of balanced fertilizers on the basis of soil tests,
supplying soil testing kits locally and strengthening of soil testing laboratories (H).
Expansion of arsenic mitigation technology (M).
Facilitate access to credit and other financial services
by smallholders and the rural poor
Collateral free Bank loan/credit at low interest for crops, livestock and fishery (H).
8 Main national
implementation
institutions
9 Main
international
DPs
10 Main
implementation
challenges
C. Implementation Features
The national implementation institutes are BADC, BCIC, SCA, DAE, DLS, DOF,
NARS institute, SRDI, Bangladesh Bank, BKB, NGOs and Private sector.
Seeds: BADC and DAE are entrusted with the task of multiplication, production and
supply of high-yielding varieties of crop seeds while DLS is engaged in livestock
breeding and DOF for fingerlings. All these institutions need capacity development
for enhancing supply of quality seeds. The Seed Certification Agency (SCA) has the
mandatory responsibility to test and certify. It also needs capacity development. There
is need to create enabling environment for enhanced participation of NGOs and
private sector in seed production and distributions.
Fertilizer Supply: BADC, BCIC, DAE and private sector are the organizations
involved with fertilizer supply. There is need to establish new fertilizer plants of
BCIC.
Soil fertility: SRDI and DAE are involved in soil fertility management.
Credit: Bangladesh Bank, BKB and other banking institutes, and NGOs are involved
in distribution of agricultural credit.
Almost all major multilateral and bilateral DPs like WB, ADB, IDB, EC, Danida and
USAID support interventions relevant to programme 3. Among the signatories of the
JCS, DPs working in the LCG sub-group of Agriculture and Rural Development
relevant to Programme 3 are ADB, Australia, Denmark, EU, Japan Korea,
Switzerland, USA, WB and the UN (FAO, WFP, UNDP).
Current challenges are inadequate capacity, of DAE, BADC, SCA, DLS, DOF, BCIC,
BSTI as well as the private sector, to meet the growing demand for quality inputs.
Inadequate laboratory facilities for quality testing and monitoring, as well as a weak
regulatory system to prevent input adulteration, are also key concerns.
Note: The activities prioritized as Top (T), high (H) medium (M) and low (L).
Updated Bangladesh Country Investment Plan: A Road Map Towards investing in Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition
2 June 2011
87