Bangladesh’s agriculture is finally catching up to agro-automation, transitioning from convention agro-farming. Cows and yokes have been substituted by tractors and harvesters in the farmlands to improve efficiency and reduce labor costs and time. The sector, which accounts for 13 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), is beginning to embrace automation technology to boost productivity and efficiency.
However, progress is limited as automation is required on a large scale. Experts and industry people say the country is now in the ‘initial stage’ of automation. At least a decade is said to be needed for the country’s agriculture to become automation-based.
Where are we now?
Agroautomation has become more visible in recent years than traditional practices, although its overall development level is still relatively low.
Over the past two decades, the use of mechanical farm power has increased rapidly, and irrigation is now practically fully mechanized, as more than one and a half million diesel and electric-driven pumps lift ground and surface water, according to Professor ATM Ziauddin of Agricultural University, Mymensingh (BAU).
Recent survey reports indicate that by 2011, about 80 percent of the land was tilled by power tillers and tractors, while marginal farmers had equal access to these machines through private contractor services, according to ‘Present Status of Agricultural Mechanization in Bangladesh’ paper, authored by ATM Ziauddin and Tasnia Zia, published in AMA, Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America journal.
The paper also reported good progress in mechanization in weeding, fertilizing, spraying, harvesting, threshing, drying, and transporting activities. Foot-operated ‘dheki’ for rice processing has now ceased to exist except for museums; rice hullers and mills have taken over this task.
The paper added that Bangladeshi farmers and rural entrepreneurs will undoubtedly further mechanize some of these operations horizontally to reduce costs and increase productivity through timeliness of operation.
Progress is also visible on the technological front. Some startup programs, with various mobile applications and digital platforms, provide farmers with information on weather forecasts, pest controls, market prices, and best practices. A number of governmental and non-governmental organizations are supporting the adoption of agricultural technologies through research projects, training programs, and subsidies. These initiatives aim to enable small and medium-sized farmers to access technology.
iFarmer, Agroshift Technologies, Fashol, WeGro, e-Hub, G-Agro, Smart Gowala, PraniSheba, BAMIS, and AgSS are technology companies in Bangladesh that are trying to enable small-scale farmers and agribusinesses to maximize their profits.
“These applications are still in a corner position in Bangladesh,” said Dr F H Ansarey, president of ACI Agribusiness.
“Farmers are not using these platforms efficiently. It will be below 5 percent,” he said regarding the number of users.
However, Bangladesh still faces challenges such as the high initial cost of technology, lack of technical expertise, and limited infrastructure in rural areas. As a result, the country falls far behind in global progress. Dr. Ansarey believes that around ten more years are needed for the full automation.
A trip to the developed nations
The USA, Canada, South Korea, the Netherlands, China, and Japan have reached the top positions in agro-automation.
For example, the United States strongly emphasizes sustainable practices and large-scale agribusinesses through autonomous machinery and biotech innovations. The country is leading the development and deployment of self-driving tractors, harvesters, and other machinery. Companies like John Deere and AGCO are pioneers in this space.
GPS, drones, and data analytics are widely used to improve crop management, optimize input utilization, and raise yields. Numerous agri-tech firms and research organizations in the United States are focused on developing novel farming solutions.
The Netherlands is known for its advanced greenhouse technology, which includes high-tech greenhouse systems and breakthroughs in vertical farming and sustainable agriculture. Dutch greenhouses automate climate management, irrigation, and nutrient supply, enabling year-round production of high-value crops. The country has made substantial investments in vertical farming, which incorporates automation to maximize space and resource use in urban areas. The country is a leader in robotics for planting, harvesting, and crop management and extensively uses precision agriculture technology.
China is rapidly adopting smart farming technologies and investing in agricultural technology research and development, for instance, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) for crop monitoring, pest management, and precision agriculture. China is also investing significantly in robotic equipment for harvesting fruits and vegetables, alleviating manpower shortages and increasing efficiency.
South Korea is investing in smart farming technologies, including greenhouse automation and data analytics for crop management.
Eminent agricultural journalist Shaikh Siraj shared his experiences in one of his columns in the Daily Star newspaper, stating that thousands of companies have now sprung up in Europe and America to install state-of-the-art agricultural technology commercially. GreenQ, in the Netherlands, is an ideal institution of this genre. He also visited their exhibition house in 2015 and saw how they brought agriculture under maximum control.
“They kept the right balance between technical excellence and crop production. The country has long been using wind turbines, which effectively contribute to the farming sector,” he wrote.
Where are we going?
According to the government’s perspective plan, a paradigm shift in agriculture will occur rapidly and be sustained into the 2040s. It mentions that as incomes rise, the demand for food has also shifted towards improved nutritional intake.
Despite the diminution in agriculture’s share in GDP, it will continue to play a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s future prosperity as the production sector that ensures food security and nutrition of the population and provides farm and non-farm employment for the bulk of the rural population.
With 65% of our population still living in rural areas and relying on agriculture for their livelihoods, rural development in the future will be synonymous with highly efficient and productive agriculture—the thrust of the agriculture sector strategy of PP2041.
Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Alam, a professor at the Department of Agribusiness and Marketing at Bangladesh Agricultural University, said, “Bangladesh is far behind the race of the developed country’s automation status.”
“In terms of automation like blockchain and computer experiments, the country is in an experimental stage,” he added.
He said that strong government policies and subsidies are needed for agricultural technology, which tends to lead to agri-automation.
A significant investment in research and development will drive innovation and the adoption of new technologies and facilitate the deployment of automation technologies—active involvement of private companies and startups in developing and commercializing agri-tech solutions.
Necessary policy efforts
Bangladesh can look up to its neighboring country, India. According to Kishore Avinash, a senior researcher at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), farmers in India receive capital incentives to purchase farm mechanization equipment at lower borrowing rates. India’s government is also working to provide farmers with updated agro-machines and the skills required for automation.
To promote mechanization in agriculture, the Bangladeshi government has also granted subsidies for purchasing machinery, beginning at 50 percent and continuing to 70 percent in coastal regions. This scheme covers machines such as power tillers, reapers, rice transplanters, and combine harvesters.
The government has undertaken a project titled ‘Mechanisation of Agriculture Work through Integrated Management,’ which costs Tk 30.2 billion. Its aim is to distribute 51,300 units of agro-machinery from 12 categories between 2020 and 2025.
Besides, Bangladesh needs a mid-term and long-term vision for a strategic framework for agricultural automation. Larger agri-machineries are frequently too expensive for farmers or small machine producers to purchase upfront. Microfinance schemes or low-interest loans should be created exclusively for purchasing agricultural automation equipment.
The government should also reduce or eliminate the import duty on agricultural machinery to modernize the agriculture sector. Boosting internet and cell access in rural areas can also encourage using smart agricultural technologies. Farmers must be offered insurance solutions designed to cover the risks of using new technology.
Bangladesh has a long way to go in agro-automation. The journey depends on policy-level work. The country’s agro-automation lies in our efforts to devise visionary policies and act accordingly.
Md Asaduz Zaman is a Bangladeshi journalist who covers Bangladesh’s economy, environment, and agriculture sectors.
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