Evolution Of Agricultural Policies Prioritising The Development Of Land-Poor Farmers In Bangladesh

Abstract

This macro-level study analyses sequential changes in agricultural policies and evaluates their impact among various groups of farmers classified based on the land ownership. All supply-side agricultural policies from their origins to current year were divided into four phases where, government supports for agriculture were changed from adverse circumstances support, to direct enormous support, to reform-embedded support, and finally to collaborative support with private sector and non-government organisations (NGOs). Small farmers in the past were not benefited from government policies but they were lately more benefited from coherent policies emphasising the development of /and-poor farmers. The changed policies, particularly the reform policies, contributed much to increasing rice production by all types of farmers. Nominal incomes of farmers were increased with an increase in both production and price of rice. However, their real incomes gradually decreased due to a relative fall in rice price that was found beneficial for the consumer.