Agricultural Mechanization and South-South Knowledge Exchange: What can Ghanaian and Nigerian policymakers learn from Bangladesh’s experience?

Bangladesh has experienced rapid growth in agricultural mechanization, with the share of area cultivated by tractors and power tillers increasing from 30 percent in the mid-1990s to 95 percent in 2015. Power tillers are used on three-quarters of the mechanically cultivated area, and agricultural machinery is not only used on large farms but has also spread among smallholder farmers. The supply of machinery for this growth has been based primarily on imports, as the capacity for local manufacturing of agricultural machinery is still limited. In collaboration with IFPRI and CIMMYT, nine African public officials from four countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, participated in an agricultural mechanization study tour in Bangladesh from 3-7 November 2015. During the tour, African officials visited major tractor importers, the largest agricultural machinery manufacturer, tractor and spare parts dealers, farmers, and public institutions. The tour provided useful insights into how small-scale agricultural mechanization can expand in low-income countries. In Bangladesh, tillage using two-wheel tractors and small four-wheel tractors accounts for greater than 95 percent of tillage activity. Irrigation in the country was rapidly mechanized when power tillers, imported from Japan, were introduced. The predominant soils and topography of Bangladesh were likely a factor in the increase in mechanization of land preparation with 2WTs. However, in Ghana and Nigeria, the use of 2WTs is challenging in areas where the soils are heavy and agricultural practices are mostly rainfed rather than irrigated. The use of heavy-duty, higher horsepower 4WTs as a share of all agricultural machinery is relatively lower in Bangladesh than in Nigeria and Ghana. This is partly because lower horsepower 4WTs are often used for haulage in Bangladesh, particularly for construction materials such as bricks, rods, cement, and sand. Importers, manufacturers, and dealers in Bangladesh have extensive sales and service networks established all over the country, and suppliers and importers offer after-sales service, often free of charge for multiple servicing periods. The private sector in Bangladesh's mechanization sector has been important and should not be downplayed. The Government of Bangladesh provides a good environment for private businesses to thrive without any undue favors. Local entrepreneurs have latched onto this and are doing quite well importing or manufacturing and selling agricultural machinery and tools. The government subsidy scheme for agricultural equipment is helping sales by the private sector firms, as it enhances the purchasing power of farmers. Several government agencies collaborate in Bangladesh to achieve the national agricultural mechanization goals, including the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, the Bangladesh Rural Development Board, the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, and the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute. They share information and are on the same page on most issues. Similar institutions exist in Nigeria, but they have some overlapping functions, sometimes leading to an unhealthy rivalry among agencies. It is clear from what was observed in Bangladesh that the roles and functions of the Nigerian agencies should be clearly delineated and harmonious working relationships should be promoted among these institutions for effective and efficient collaborative work. BARI and BRRI have invested extensively in research and development activities on improved crop varieties, which might indirectly have helped raise the profitability of mechanized farming. In recent years, average yields reported in Bangladesh were 5 mt/ha for rice and 6 mt/ha for maize. These yields are much higher than yields for the same crops in Ghana and Nigeria, which are around 2 mt/ha.