Agricultural experts and policymakers have called for immediate government action to provide subsidies and incentives for organic fertiliser production and use, highlighting its importance for protecting soil fertility, crop health, and long-term food security.
The call came at a roundtable discussion titled “Subsidizing Organic Fertilizer for Agroecology and Soil Health”, jointly organised by ActionAid Bangladesh and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), along with 29 partner organisations, held on Wednesday at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka.
Speaking as Chief Guest, Dr Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian, Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, said the government is “rethinking the approach to organic fertiliser” and working on a roadmap for coordinated investment in this sector.
“Ensuring food security and addressing real-life challenges is our collective responsibility,” he said, noting that a long-term national agricultural plan up to 2050 is being implemented, involving all relevant ministries and stakeholders at divisional and district levels.
The Secretary informed that around 70 percent of the agricultural budget is allocated for subsidies, of which nearly 80 percent goes to chemical fertilisers. The government aims to reduce chemical fertiliser use by 32–35 percent while increasing organic fertiliser use, he added, stressing the need for a robust registration and monitoring system to prevent misuse.
Presenting policy recommendations, Dr Nazim Uddin, Senior Scientific Officer at BARI, proposed introducing an incentive or subsidy of Tk 5,000 per tonne of organic fertiliser. He warned that excessive dependence on chemical fertilisers has caused soil degradation, biodiversity loss, groundwater depletion, and reduced nutritional value in crops — posing serious threats to long-term agricultural sustainability.
Dr Nazim noted that Bangladesh’s annual demand for organic fertiliser stands at 6–6.5 million tonnes, with over 75 percent of the necessary raw materials available domestically. He estimated that meeting this demand could generate 370,000 new jobs across 14,000 agricultural blocks by mobilising rural youth entrepreneurs, strengthening the livestock sector, and curbing rural-urban migration.
Dr Samia Sultana, Director General of the Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), underscored the need to prioritise organic fertiliser use, saying, “There is no alternative to organic fertiliser when it comes to protecting soil health. We must promote its production, marketing, and use alongside chemical fertilisers to ensure sustainable agriculture.”
Speakers also urged greater inclusion of youth and women in agriculture, support for organic-based entrepreneurship, and enhanced research and innovation in eco-friendly farming. They called for stronger coordination among government agencies, the private sector, and research institutions to scale up sustainable practices.
The discussion, moderated by Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, featured contributions from Dr Shahidul Islam (former DG, BARI), Rezaul Karim Siddique Rana (General Secretary, B-SAFE Foundation), Dr Latiful Bari (Chief Scientist, Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences), Dr Monowar Karim Khan (Soil Science Society), and Fazle Rabbi Sadeque (Deputy Managing Director, PKSF).