The Impacts of Crop Diversity in the Production and Economic Development in Bangladesh

The study uses data from 1986 to 2009 about the production of various cereal crops, purposively selected to represent major production trend in Bangladesh before and after introduction of Crop Diversification Program (CDP) in the early 1990’s. The paper attempts to identify importance associated with diversified production, based on usage of lands. Bar graphs, pie charts and trend lines are used to represent the trends in production of rice, other cereal crops and yield of crops per acre of land. The yield-land ratio is used to find out the actual growth in production and it is showing upward trends over the years. Per capita agricultural output is shown to get concept about the condition of food security. Here it is clarified that diversification increases the agricultural production as well as helps to grow industries, reduces unemployment, increases the supply of nutrition and protein, import substitution and growth in agricultural GDP thus overall GDP of the country. Government policies and strategies are discussed related with diversified production and having successful CDP program to achieve production targets.