We still call Bangladesh an agrarian country because a large portion of the population remains directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. Therefore, to achieve the desired yield from agricultural land, several crucial factors must be monitored from the beginning of cultivation up to the harvest. These include soil health, improved seeds, suitable weather, proper spacing and depth for planting seeds or seedlings, balanced fertilizer application, planned irrigation and drainage systems, pest and disease control, weed management, crop rotation, and timely harvesting.

Every stage of agricultural activity has an appropriate time and method. Following them properly increases production, reduces costs, and allows farmers to see the desired profits.

Project Background and Objectives

Bangladesh is categorized into 30 Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ) based on agro-environmental characteristics. However, due to population growth, urbanization, climate change, and increasing pressure on arable land, zone-based classification alone is no longer sufficient. Ensuring the country's food security requires finer and data-driven planning. Considering this reality, the government led by Sheikh Hasina approved a project during the ECNEC meeting on September 29, 2020, to create a mauza- and plot-based national digital land zoning and digital land use map.

The primary goal of this project is to collect and analyze data on various land features across the country—such as soil characteristics, land type, usage, waterlogging, and drainage—to ensure optimal land use. In other words, it aims to create data-driven guidelines indicating which crops are suitable for specific areas, where opportunities for agricultural expansion exist, and where agricultural land conservation is urgent.

This initiative to create mauza- and plot-based digital land zoning and land-use maps was undertaken with the broader goal that "not a single inch of arable land in the country remains uncultivated while ensuring proper utilization of land."

How Soil Mapping Helps

A key aspect of this project is soil mapping. It enables detailed insights into soil characteristics. By identifying areas with deficits or surpluses of specific nutrients—such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—balanced fertilizer can be applied based on the land's actual requirements. This minimizes fertilizer waste and preserves soil health.

Not all crops thrive in every soil type. Mangoes grown in Comilla do not match those from Rajshahi, nor do lychees in Noakhali match the quality of those from Dinajpur. Therefore, identifying alternative, highly profitable crops beyond traditional ones for a specific area is essential.

Soil mapping offers clear insights into soil texture, water retention capacity, drainage properties, and other quality attributes. Consequently, it allows for more effective decision-making regarding which crop will suit a piece of land, when to irrigate, and how much water is needed.

Similarly, knowing the soil pH level makes it easier to decide on applying lime or dolomite to amend acidic or alkaline soils.

In hilly or sloping areas, soil mapping helps identify erosion-prone zones, enabling the adoption of sustainable farming practices. It will also allow for monitoring and analyzing how climate change alters soil quality over time.

In Bangladesh, online soil mapping and soil property data are available on various online platforms managed by the Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) and the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), which are updated periodically.

New Prospects for Entrepreneurs and Agro-Economy

The significance of this project extends beyond current farmers; it holds immense potential for fostering future entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector. Data-driven agricultural planning offers the new generation of entrepreneurs opportunities to venture beyond conventional methods into promising, specialized agricultural initiatives.

This will enhance opportunities for region-based specialized crop production aligned with local resources and environmental conditions. Simultaneously, it can bring positive shifts to traditional cropping patterns.

In this regard, Japan’s "One Village, One Product" (OVOP) concept and Thailand’s "One Tambon, One Product" (OTOP) program can serve as inspiration. Specializing a region around a specific local product creates new avenues for marketing, processing, and export alongside production.

Region-Specific Crops

Various regions in Bangladesh are already known for specific agricultural products. Examples include coconuts in the southern region, betel leaves in Kushtia, mangoes in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, lychees in Dinajpur and Rajshahi, potatoes in Munshiganj and Rangpur, paddy in Dinajpur, tobacco in Rangpur and Nilphamari, jute in Faridpur, pineapples in Tangail, guavas in Pirojpur (Swarupkathi) and Barishal, and tea in Sylhet.

However, agricultural potential is not limited to traditional reputations. High-quality lychees are now grown in Ishwardi, mangoes from Satkhira are exported abroad, and Barishal produces significant quantities of watermelon.

In other words, based on accurate data and scientific analysis, many more areas across the country could produce crops in the future that are currently beyond imagination.

Here lies the major economic potential of digital land zoning and soil mapping. If a region develops a surplus production of a specific agricultural commodity, domestic and foreign entrepreneurs can establish processing industries centered around that product. This will expand farmers' markets, add value to agricultural produce, foster agro-based industries, and generate new employment opportunities.

Progress and Future Plans

Thanks to recent initiatives in land zoning and soil research, soil mapping and land use data in Bangladesh are gradually being integrated into digital platforms. This enhances the scope for data-driven planning regarding land characteristics, land use, and agricultural potential across various regions.

To ensure planned urbanization, conserve agricultural land, and guarantee proper land utilization, land is being mapped into distinct categories. Soil mapping for several upazilas has already been completed, with a phased target set to establish a land zoning and soil mapping database for all 495 upazilas in the country.

The benefits of such projects are not always immediately visible within one or two years, as they establish the foundation for long-term agricultural planning and land management. However, the data-driven infrastructure built today will empower farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers to make more effective decisions in the coming days.

The more data-driven the answers are to questions like which crops to grow on which land, where to conserve farmland, where to establish specialized agriculture, and where potential exists for agro-based industries, the more profitable, modern, and sustainable Bangladesh's agriculture will become.

Therefore, initiatives like digital land zoning and soil mapping undertaken during Sheikh Hasina’s government will build an essential foundation not only for current agriculture but also for the food security, agricultural economy, and planned land management of future generations.

Niharika Roy, Development Worker, Political Analyst, and Columnist