On planning sustainable rural development within a time frame in Bangladesh; a study.

Report of seminars held in Dhaka during 1994 & 1996.

The rural economy in Bangladesh has powerfully advanced economic growth and substantially reduced poverty, especially since 2000, but the remarkable transformation and unprecedented dynamism in rural Bangladesh remain an underexplored, underappreciated, and largely untold story. Dynamics of Rural Growth in Bangladesh: Sustaining Poverty Reduction tells that story and inquires what specific actions Bangladesh might take—given the residual poverty and persistent malnutrition—to accelerate and channel its rural dynamism to sustain the gains in eliminating poverty, achieving shared prosperity, and advancing national aspirations to achieve middle-income status. The central element of this study, undertaken with the Government of Bangladesh Planning Commission to address key questions elicited through extensive consultation, is an empirical analysis that illuminates the underlying dynamics of rural growth, particularly the role of agriculture and its relationship to the nonfarm economy. Using all sources of data available for the macro-, meso-, and microhousehold levels, the analysis provides new evidence on changes in the rural economy and the principal drivers of rural incomes. It also examines market performance for high-value agricultural products and agriculture†“nutrition linkages, based on new surveys and analysis. The resulting evidence, examined in light of the rich knowledge of rural development in Bangladesh, is used to delineate the implications for policy and the strategic priorities for sustaining future rural development, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition. The effects of policy reforms, changes in technology, and investments in infrastructure and human capital described here, along with the persistent enterprise of rural Bangladeshi households, offer a compelling case study of how mutually reinforcing actions can trigger the highly-sought-after virtuous cycle of rural development. The findings clearly demonstrate the pro-poor nature of agricultural growth and its catalytic role in stimulating the rural nonfarm economy. They show that households have no linear or predictable pathway out of poverty; instead, they wisely employ a combination of farm and nonfarm income strategies to climb out of, and then stay out of, poverty. The results represent a strong contribution to the global thinking on rural transformation and on how agriculture in particular sustains the economic momentum that fosters poverty reduction and more widespread prosperity.

Since the birth of Bangladesh in December 1971, successive governments have adopted the orthodox economic policies advocated by aid donors and international agencies. But, this book shows that poverty and inequality have increased, largely because governments lacked stability and authority.

Research methodology and data; Infrastructure and agricultural production; Infrastructure, the rural labor market, and employment; Infrastructure, household income, and poverty; Linkage, between infrastructure and consumption; Infrastructure and savings-investment behavior; Infrastructure, rural markets, and social development; Implications for public policies.

This country sector assessment shows how rapid economic growth and climate change are impacting Bangladesh’s agriculture, natural resources, and rural development sector, and outlines ways the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is helping foster greater food security. With agriculture generating over 40% of jobs, it analyzes changing demand patterns, shows how the pandemic and food price rises have hit the sector, and explores how increasing production and adding value can help reduce rural poverty. It outlines how ADB is focusing on deepening value chains and agricultural commercialization, plus improving rural connectivity and natural resource management, to help improve livelihoods and bolster resilient rural development.

Monograph presenting a comparison of rural development experiences in Pakistan and Bangladesh up to 1972 - covers the effects of Innovation in agriculture, irrigation, agricultural planning and agricultural development, social change, technological change, etc. Bibliography, graphs and statistical tables.