The Bangladesh agriculture sector
contributes about 30 percent to its
gross domestic product (GDP). Nearly
75 percent of the population is directly
or indirectly dependent on agriculture.
Though declining, agriculture is still
the highest contributor to the GDP
and the main user of water. Its share
of water demand will continue to
increase, concurrent with efforts
to attain food security.
Fig.3.2. Factors influencing crop production
Transpiration
Evaporation
Wind speed
Humidity
Solar Radiation
Rainfall
Temperature
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Within the crop sector, food grains, particularly rice, dominate the country’s agricultural scenarios
module 3
in both cropped area and production, claiming a share of 77 percent in 2000. Thus, the effect of
climate variability and change on the rice crop would have substantial impact on the sector’s
performance since most of the production factors (Fig. 3.2) would be altered by climate change.
There has, however, been a shift in the composition of
agriculture over the past few years with gradual
intensification of monocropping boro rice during rabi
season. Such intensification increases vulnerability of the
agriculture system to drought and high temperature,
which are projected to increase under climate change.
Climate change will seriously affect the total agriculture
production in Bangladesh. A rise in the CO2 level will have
a positive fertilization effect, but with a rise in temperature,
the yield will be suppressed. Thus, in order to derive the
desired benefit, the interaction of CO2 and temperature
has to be synchronized with the choice of crop cultivars.