Bangladesh’s agricultural sector is under increasing threat as the country's soils suffer from severe fertility decline, posing a challenge to future food production. Farmers are overusing their land, growing 4 to 5 crops annually, often relying heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. While this practice boosts short-term crop yields, it is taking a heavy toll on the land’s long-term health.
In addition, the cost of cultivation is also increasing continuously due to the loss of natural nutrients in the soil. Farmers are being forced to use more and more fertilizers to produce crops. This is threatening the future of agriculture.
According to research, about 75 percent of the country's total land is now suffering from fertility deficiency. Soil fertility is decreasing at a rate of about 1 percent every year. There is a deficiency of essential nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, boron, zinc in the soil. Soil health has collapsed due to the deficiency of organic matter.
Soil Resources Development Institute data reveals that the total land area in the country, including arable land, forest land, rivers, lakes, reserved forests, Sundarbans, etc., is 14.757 million hectares. In 2020, organic matter deficiency was found in about 11.64 million hectares of land. In addition, the area with phosphorus deficiency was found in 6.6 million hectares, the area with potassium deficiency was found in about 5.27 million hectares, the area with sulfur deficiency was found in 6.53 million hectares, and the area with boron deficiency was found in about 5.11 million hectares. Deficiencies in other nutrients were also found in the soil.
Experts fear a crop disaster in Bangladesh due to the continuous decline in fertility. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), food production in Bangladesh may decrease by 25-30 percent by 2050.
The concerned people said that due to the decline in fertility, farmers are having to use more fertilizers, resulting in increasing the cost of crop production. The cost of fertilizers and pesticides has almost doubled in the last 10 years. The use of chemical fertilizers is increasing due to the decrease in fertility. The use of chemical fertilizers in large quantities is changing the pH level of the soil, which is destroying the natural nutrient balance. The amount of beneficial agricultural microbes in the soil is decreasing, which is reducing the natural strength of the soil.
Dr Md. Abdul Quddus, Senior Scientific Officer of the Soil and Water Management Branch of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), told Bangladesh Pratidin, “We are growing crops 5-6 times on the same land. Soil strength is being lost due to excessive pressure. Although it is essential to have 3.5 percent organic matter in the soil, it has dropped below 1.5 percent in most of the country's soils.”
“The highest organic matter content was found in Gazipur soil at 1.38 percent. Most of the soils have less than 1 percent. Due to the deficiency of organic matter, the soil structure is destroyed. The soil is unable to retain nutrients. There are 17 important micro and macro nutrients in the soil for plants. Soils in many areas of Bangladesh are deficient in these. In many soils, the elements are in such a state that plants cannot absorb them.”
“Therefore, they have to be applied separately. However, soil testing is essential to determine how much to apply. If we continue to increase yields with excessive chemical fertilizers, the yield will suddenly collapse. Awareness should be raised in this regard and the use of various organic fertilizers should be increased, even if subsidized if necessary. Otherwise, food production will become a difficult challenge for future generations,” he added.
(Translated by Tanvir Raihan)
