This book includes selected papers on crop suitability and agricultural development based on the author's extensive experience with soils and agricultural development in Bangladesh. Written between 1974 and 1989, the papers range from popular journal articles to formal reports to Government. The successive chapters, updated by footnotes, provide a realistic appraisal of the opportunities for increasing agricultural production in Bangladesh's diverse environments. Part I, written specially for this book, provides background information on Bangladesh's physical characteristics to assist readers in understanding the rationale for crop selection, soil management and development possibilities in different parts of the country. Part II, comprises a set of eight popular articles which, by focusing on specific disaster-prone and difficult environments, provide a comprehensive review of regional aspects of development. Part III, comprises edited versions of five reports and discussion papers which describe the potential for production of HYV rice, wheat and other cereals, and review experience with wheat cultivation. Part IV, contains three papers which focus on crop suitability and crop diversification. An additional final chapter provides a synthesis of the principles of agricultural development and crop suitability assessment which underlie the previous chapters.
