Policy directions toward increasing rice productivity—lessons from Bangladesh

Abstract

AbstractThe decreasing availability of resources and increasingly hostile climate will seriously challenge future rice production globally, and particularly in Bangladesh. This means that more needs to grow in challenged circumstances. This would require innovations integrating technological, institutional, and policy options. This paper addresses the policy directions in improving rice productivity taking Bangladesh as an example. With no scope of increasing area, Bangladesh needs to increase rice yield growth rate to sustain its future rice production, for which a map named, “M4IRP,” is proposed. The M4IRP provides policy directions towards improved adaptation via two routes: (1) the research route (RR); and (2) the acquisition of knowledge and its application route (AKAR). The RR aims for increased genetic yield potential, whereas the AKAR aims to reduce the yield gap that exists between research and farmers’ fields. The RR is composed of four components, namely, genotype (G), adoption (A), management (M), and environment (E)—GAME. In addition to directly impacting improved adaptation, the RR, through GAME, would play a vital role in synthesized research delivery (SRD) to AKAR. The AKAR, through utilizing SRD, would devise the necessary extension of services for knowledge acquisition, financial systems, and appropriate knowledge application in order to increase yields in various ecosystems ensuring the sustainable production of rice and in turn, providing the necessary supply in order to ensure food security for the constantly growing population. This approach could be applied in other rice growing countries for the same purposes where similar ecosystems are present