Small farmers play biggest role in food production but earn the least: Survey

Small-scale farmers make up the largest share of Bangladesh's food producers but remain the country's lowest earners in the sector, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The findings were published in the BBS report titled "Survey on Income and Productivity of Small-Scale Food Producers 2025", which shows that 53.65 per cent of the country's food producers are small-scale farmers.

While the national average income per labour-day stands at Tk 1,868, small farmers earn only Tk 1,494 per labour-day. In contrast, large-scale farmers earn an average of Tk 2,301 per labour-day.

The survey also found that the fisheries sector recorded the highest productivity, with an average income of Tk 11,382 per labour-day. It was followed by perennial crops at Tk 6,530 and forestry at Tk 5,390 per labour-day.

The livestock sector recorded the lowest productivity, with an average income of Tk 1,459 per labour-day.
The survey covered 12,879 farming households across all eight divisions of the country.

Division-wise, Chattogram and Rangpur recorded the highest proportions of small-scale farmers, at 59.81 per cent and 59.29 per cent, respectively. Sylhet was the only division where large-scale farmers formed the majority.

The survey also highlighted gender disparities in agriculture. Women head only 10.7 per cent of small farming households, while the figure falls to just 4.7 per cent among large farming households.

However, the report found that small farmers outperform their larger counterparts in some sectors.

In perennial crop cultivation, small farmers earn Tk 9,182 per labour-day, compared with Tk 4,603 for large farmers. Similarly, in the forestry sector, small farmers earn Tk 6,518 per labour-day, exceeding the Tk 4,656 earned by large farmers.

The income gap becomes even more apparent when annual earnings are compared.

The average annual income of all food producers in Bangladesh is Tk 78,286, while small-scale farmers earn an average of only Tk 33,639 a year. By comparison, large-scale farmers earn an average annual income of Tk 129,956.

The survey found that livestock is the principal source of income for small farmers, accounting for around 84.5 per cent of their total earnings.

According to the BBS, although small-scale farmers play a vital role in ensuring the country's food security, a significant gap remains between their contribution to food production and their level of income and productivity.

The report recommends targeted policy support and income-enhancing initiatives for small farmers to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve their economic wellbeing.