Bangladesh Faces Steep Decline in Farm Workforce

The number of active farmers in Bangladesh is falling sharply, raising alarms over future food security, rural livelihoods, and sustainable development.

Despite progress toward middle-income status, agriculture remains the country’s largest employer—engaging nearly 47.5% of the population either directly or indirectly. It contributes not only food and raw materials, but also drives agro-industrial growth and foreign exchange earnings.

However, new data shows a steep decline in agricultural employment. Among youth, participation fell from 48.8% in 2010 to 41% in 2022; for the general workforce, it dropped from 19% to 15.7%. Experts cite low profitability, rural-to-urban migration, and climate impacts as key drivers.

“This is a red alert for our food system,” warned Dr. Mizanur Rahman, an agricultural economist. “If young people continue to leave farming, who will produce our food in a decade?”

Earnings in farming remain 30–40% lower than in other sectors. Rising costs for inputs like seeds and fertilisers have made small-scale farming increasingly unviable. Meanwhile, rapid urbanisation and climate-related disasters have eaten into arable land, leaving many farmers landless.

Floods, salinity, and erratic weather already cause annual crop losses worth billions. A mere 1°C rise in temperature could cut rice yields by up to 7%, experts say.

“There’s no future in farming unless reforms are made,” said Mofiz Uddin, a Barisal farmer who leased his land to a brickfield after his sons left for Dhaka.

Although the government has introduced mechanisation and subsidies, results remain limited. Only half of all farmland is mechanised, and just 2.6% of vocational graduates pursue careers in agriculture.

Experts urge immediate reforms: price guarantees, climate-resilient technology, youth incentives, and access to training. Without this, Bangladesh may face deeper food import dependence and worsening rural poverty.

“Farming is not just a job—it’s the backbone of our identity,” said Dr. Rahman. “Losing farmers means losing food sovereignty.”

Agricultural growth once peaked at over 5% in 2010–11, but has since slowed to around 2.2%. Yet to meet development targets, the sector must sustain 4–4.5% annual growth.

Md. Shah Jamal Chowdhury, lead auditor at the Department of Agricultural Extension, stressed the need for farmer-focused support.

“We talk about Good Agricultural Practices, but unless made practical and affordable, they remain out of reach,” he said. “Let’s not wait for an empty plate to realize what we’ve lost.”

Mukkan Dutta, Chairman of Harvesting Knowledge Consultancy, added: “Farmers are climate defenders. If policy doesn’t deliver on the ground, food security will remain a dream.”

On July 23, the Ministry of Agriculture launched the “AsTP” project, backed by the FAO and Gates Foundation, to modernize the sector and boost resilience.

Agriculture Secretary Dr. Emdad Ullah Mian said, “The AsTP project comes at a critical time. It will help us align policy with evidence and prepare for LDC graduation by strengthening institutions and strategic investment.”

Without timely, farmer-centered reforms, Bangladesh risks undermining the very foundation of its food system—and its future.