Ahead of the National Budget FY2026-27, the Bangladesh Food Security Network, KHANI Bangladesh, and Participatory Research & Action Network, PRAAN, jointly published an analytical policy study examining agricultural budgeting, subsidies, food inflation, agricultural credit, climate vulnerability, and farmer market distress in Bangladesh from FY2020-21 to FY2025-26.

The study highlights that agriculture still contributes nearly 11% to Bangladesh’s GDP and supports around 45% of national employment. However, the share of agriculture in the national budget declined from 10.65% in FY2011-12 to only 5.94% in FY2024-25, while the proportional share of agricultural subsidies has also significantly decreased.

The publication warns that climate change, flash floods, rising production costs, fuel and energy volatility, high food inflation, weak market governance, and increasing farmer indebtedness are creating serious risks for Bangladesh’s food security and rural economy.

The study recommends increasing agricultural allocation to at least 10% of the national budget, strengthening climate-resilient agriculture, expanding subsidies and agricultural credit, promoting farm mechanization and solar irrigation, establishing an independent Agricultural Price Commission, and investing in cold storage and food system infrastructure.

The publication argues that ensuring the Right to Food in Bangladesh requires accountable, rights-based, and climate-responsive public investment in agriculture to strengthen national food security, nutrition security, and resilient rural livelihoods.