Population and agricultural land use: towards a sustainable food production system in Bangladesh
Mahtab, F.U.; Karim, Z.
Ambio 21(1): 50-55
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0044-7447 Document Number: 289583
Population growth and present levels of technology in Bangladesh threaten future food security. 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 Mt and 31.95 Mt of food grains by the years 2000 and 2010 respectively. The current level is 18.5 Mt although greater potential exists. The production of oilseeds, sugar and fish could be doubled by the year 2010. Increasing production would not be enough in view of population increases from 115 million today to 145, 177 and 232 million 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 will continue 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.