Full Length Research Paper

The role of agriculture education and training on agriculture economics and national development of Bangladesh

Gazi Mahabubul Alam^1*, Kazi Enamul Hoque², Md. Taher Billal Khalifa³, Saedah Binti Siraj⁴ and Muhammad Faizal Bin A. Ghani⁵

^1,2,4,5Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

³Faculty of Business and Accountancy, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: gazi.alam@um.edu.my.  Tel: +603-7967 5077, Fax + 603-7967 5010.

Accepted 19 November, 2009.

   Abstract

This article analyses the prevailing situations of the agricultural sector in Bangladesh using both secondary and primary data. Findings show that agriculture was the main economic sector with an employment of 95% of total population with a share of 78% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1971. After the first few years of independence, education policy was concentrated for the development of agriculture education from secondary to tertiary level because government considered agriculture as potential to economy. Currently, 75% of the populations’ professions are agriculture industry and contribution towards GDP is only 22%. While the decline of employment is not notably dropped, contribution towards GDP shared by agriculture sector is dramatically descended. The article examined the probable underpinning reasons causing agriculture as a less productive industry. With many reasons, it is noted that education system is not currently supporting the development of agriculture industry. With narrations, this article proposes a policy change towards agriculture education aiming an improvement of agriculture economics of the country which ultimately will bring national development.              

Key words: Agriculture education, agriculture economics, education and development, national development, GDP sharing.