Question

What were the total fertility(crop/agriculture) rates for India and Bangladesh in the past and what are the rates today?

Answer 1

India

The total fertility rate (TFR) has declined from 5.2 to 4.5 during 1971 to 1981 and from 3.6 to 2.4 during 1991 to 2012. The TFR in rural areas has declined from 5.4 to 2.6 from 1971 to 2012 whereas the corresponding decline in urban areas has been from 4.1 to 1.8 during the same period.

The ideal total fertility rate (TFR), or the average number of children born per woman, being targeted by the government is 2.1 per cent. However, in 23 districts — 11 in Uttar Pradesh, eight in Bihar and two each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh — the rate is higher than 4 per cent; while in 123 other districts across seven states the TFR stands between three and 3.9 per cent.

Bangladesh

During the last decades, Bangladesh has undergone a demographic transition, with declining fertility accompanied by lower mortality and increased life expectancy. During this time, total fertility rate (TFR) dropped from 6.36 in 1950–1955 to 2.23 in 2010–2015 and is projected to reach 1.67 in 2050–2055 (UN 2013).

Crop agriculture in Bangladesh is, however, constrained by a number of
challenges every year. Major challenges include 1) Loss of Arable Land, 2)
Population Growth, 3) Climate Changes, 4-6) Inadequate Management Practices
(Fertilizer, Water, and Pests & Diseases), 7) Lack of Quality Seeds, and 8-10)
Inadequate Credit Support to Farmers, Unfair Price of Produces, and Insufficient
Investment in Research. Bangladesh has lost about l million ha of arable land
from 1983 to 1996. Virtually, no step has been taken by the government to arrest
this loss. The land use policy prepared by the government several years back has
not yet been implemented. Population growth poses another great threat to crop
productivity. Besides, crop agriculture in Bangladesh has become regularly
vulnerable to the hazards of climate change–flood, drought, salinity in particular.
In addition, poor management practices, especially those of pests and diseases,
fertilizer, water and irrigation have largely contributed to significant decline in
crop productivity. Small and marginal farmers that constitute majority of farm
population are constrained by poor financial resources and cannot, therefore,
afford high management costs of high input technology.
Major objective of this review article is to discuss the challenges of crop
agriculture of Bangladesh and suggest possible opportunities to address the issue
that may assist the policy makers to develop policy guidelines.