Generating Employment:

Agriculture is a dominating sector in Bangladesh in generating livelihood, employment, and

GDP contribution. Although agriculture remains the third most contributing sector to the
country’s GDP, its contribution has decreased over the past decade going from 17% In 2010 to
12.6% in 2020. This sector generated 38.3 per cent employment in 2019 as against the global
average rate of employment of 26.86 per cent employment in agriculture (as a percentage of total
employment).

Employment by Economic sector in Bangladesh (2009-2019)

Published by Aron O’nail, September 14, 2022

Bangladesh is a small country with a huge population

around 161 million. More than 70 percent of Bangladesh’s
population and 77 percent of its workforce lives in rural
areas. Nearly half of all of Bangladesh’s workers and two-
thirds in rural areas are directly employed by agriculture,
and about 87 percent of rural households rely on agriculture
for at least part of their income. But the remarking issue is if
we look towards the graph the employment in agricultural
sector is decreasing. The World Bank says that, a huge
agriculture sector employment has moved to service sector
in Bangladesh which may beneficial to short-run but in the long-run it will affect negatively.

Md. Tanvir Hasan

ID: 2021-2-30-005
According to demographic dividend almost one third of total population of Bangladesh is youth.
And two of our major obstacles for 2030 sustainable development goal is youth employment and
agricultural production. If we are able to move this youth to the agriculture sector, we can reduce
the unemployment rate and also ensure high level of production.

Source: World Bank

There are 10 public and 6 private universities in Bangladesh which are specialized in agriculture
science. But after completing graduation most of these graduates go for career prospect in
service sector instead of agricultural sector. These youth gradate can launch more technological
solution to agriculture. ICT graduates can introduce different weather forecasting techniques
using big data concept, region-based market demand by Global Positioning System GPS and so
on. In recent times we have some agriculture-based apps like Krishaker Digital Thikana,
Krishaker Janala, Agriculture Information Service, BARI app, Mrittika etc. Organic framing
could be another big prospect for engaging our youths in agriculture sector. According to
IFOAM total land area under organic cultivation in Bangladesh is 0.177 million hectares
representing only 2 per cent of the country's total cultivable land. As the world population is
projected to be 10 billion by 2050, we need to be conscious about our food production and food

Md. Tanvir Hasan

ID: 2021-2-30-005
security. Youth engagement in agriculture will definitely improve our food production besides
creating job opportunities.

Md. Tanvir Hasan

ID: 2021-2-30-005