Climate-driven heat eats up 20% of farm labour income

High temperatures driven by climate change are cutting into Bangladesh's agricultural labour supply and productivity, with labour income declining by as much as 20 percent, BIDS Research Director Mohammad Yunus said yesterday citing studies.

Loss in labour productivity stands at around 11 percent, among the highest rates in South Asia, he said speaking at an event at the BIDS (Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies) Dhaka office.

He warned that such labour productivity losses could reduce farm output, raise production costs, and trigger an economic contraction of up to 3.5 percent.

Also speaking at the event, SM Shakil Akhter, secretary of the Planning Division at the Ministry of Planning, said long-standing gaps in the country's agricultural data system continue to create serious obstacles for policymaking.

He pointed to persistent discrepancies between production data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Agricultural Extension – two agencies "working side by side for decades without effective coordination".

"If our production figures were accurate, we would not need to import so much food," he said.

Akhter noted that nearly 150 government projects are undertaken each year involving Tk 1,000 crore, yet few directly benefit farmers, whom he described as the core strength of Bangladesh's agriculture.

"Most projects serve the interests of project directors and officials rather than farmers," he said.

Bangladesh, he added, does not need more projects, but fewer, better-implemented ones, alongside efforts to repay existing loans instead of increasing the tax burden on citizens.

Sadika Haque, professor of agricultural economics at Bangladesh Agricultural University, urged policymakers and researchers to consider what current practices mean for the long-term health and sustainability of the country's land resources.

Md Akhtaruzzaman Khan, professor of agricultural finance and banking at the same university, said although production appears sufficient, Bangladesh continues to import large quantities of rice, a sign of underlying data inconsistencies.

When national databases, particularly within BBS, have foundational problems, he said, meaningful analysis becomes extremely difficult.

Looking ahead to Bangladesh's planned graduation from its least developed country status in December 2026, Khan stressed that full mechanisation of agriculture will be essential.

M Asaduzzaman, general secretary of the Sustainable Development Networking Foundation, said data limitations still prevent a proper understanding of developments in the sector.

He noted that existing surveys do not capture detailed information on land tenure, employment patterns, or the subtle shifts taking place within rural households. "A dedicated primary survey is urgently needed."

He added that aquaculture faces major food safety challenges comparable to pesticide risks in crop production.

He stressed that increasing production alone is not sufficient -- quality and safety must be maintained. Otherwise, efforts to improve nutrition and dietary diversity may ultimately fail.