Is Growth in Bangladesh's Rice Production Sustainable?

The recent growth of foodgrain (primarily rice) level of per capita production can be sustained only production in Bangladesh has outpaced population through increased yields from modern rice varieties.growth largely because of the spread of green revolutionOther factors that could affect growth in per capita technology.The transition from being labeled a "basket rice production are population control (which is found case" in rhe early 1970s ro the virtual elimination of rice to have significant long-term benefits) and faster imports in the early 1990s is particularly remarkable conversion of remaining areas to modern varieties (which considering the severe land constraint in Bangladesh.is found to have important short-run payoffs).Two decades of concerted government efforts to achieve But population control and faster conversion to rice self-sufficiency have created both an atmosphere of modern varieties are only complements for the most optimism and concerns about whether rice selfimportant factor: efforts to increase the yields from sufficiency is sustainable.modern rice varieties.If policies designed to raise the Baffes and Gautam find that rice production grew in overall rate of economic growth and reduce poverty Bangladesh between 1973 and 1994 mainly because of succeed, it will be even more critical to focus on the conversion of rice-growing areas from local to increasing productivity.modern varieties.Simulations suggest that the current This papera product of the Commodity Policy and Analysis Unit, International Economics Department -is part of a larger effort in the department to analyze global food security issues.