Analysis of Agri-Food Trade Structures
To Promote Agri-Food Trade Networks
In the Islamic Countries
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4. COUNTRY CASE STUDIES
This section presents three country studies based on field work undertaken in each OIC region.
For the Asian Group, the case study example is Bangladesh. For the Arab Group, the country is
Tunisia. For the African Group, it is Cameroon. The rationale behind this choice of countries is
that they reflect the OIC’s diversity in terms of levels of per capita income, geography and
climate, and product specializations. Nonetheless, agriculture is a significant source of income
and employment in all three countries, despite differences in sectoral characteristics that the
case studies bring out. As such, these diverse examples provide the basis for developing policy
insights that can be of broad relevance to the OIC’s diverse membership.
4.1. Bangladesh
Bangladesh, the largest Least Developed Country, is predominantly an agricultural country and
its agriculture sector continues to be one of the driving forces of the national economy. In 2007
the Government of Bangladesh for the first time embraced a long-term development objective,
popularly known as Vision 2021, aiming to graduate Bangladesh into a middle-income country
by 2021, the year which marks the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence. Vision 21 is
implemented by the Perspective Plan of Bangladesh (2010-2021) which serves as a strategic
articulation of the development vision, mission, and goals of the Government.17 The National
Sustainable Development Strategy (2010-2021) has been prepared to meet the formidable
environmental challenges that Bangladesh faces on the way to development.18 Both these long
term development strategy papers have emphasized the accomplishment of self-sufficiency in
food grain production and the achievement of nutritional requirements by 2021. The immediate
past medium term development plan, the Sixth Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) and the ongoing
Seventh Five Year Plan (2016-20), aimed at raising rural income and generating employment
opportunities for poor rural people through increased agricultural productivity, fostering
diversification and boosting rural infrastructure. The guiding principles for the agriculture
sector laid down by the Seventh Five Year Plan aim at achieving food and nutritional security for
country’s population. It also targets ensuring sustainable agriculture and green growth
alongside increased commercialization and livelihood improvement through technological
innovations and use, and linking the farming community with both national and international
markets.19
Thanks to a supportive policy space complemented by a vibrant private sector, the country’s
agricultural sector has made tremendous progress over the past four decades. While the
agriculture sector contributes only 14.74% to the national GDP, its indirect contribution to
overall GDP growth is significant, and the sector employed about 41% of the country’s work
force in 2015-2016.20
17 Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh (2007), The Perspective Plan of Bangladesh,
available at accessed on 31 March 2018]
18 Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh (2010), The National Sustainable Development
Strategy, available at accessed on 31 March
2018]
19 Planning Commission, Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh (2016), Seventh Five Year Plan, available at:
[accessed on 31 March 2018]
20 Bangladesh Economic Review 2017, Ministry of Finance, Government of Bangladesh, available at:
and
Bangladesh Quarterly Labour Force Survey 2015-16, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Planning, available at: