Sustainability in Bangladesh’s agricultural sector, particularly in the tobacco leaf industry, is a multifaceted challenge requiring innovative and inclusive approaches. This study explores sustainable agricultural practices adopted by British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) through crop diversification, farmer welfare initiatives, and agricultural mechanization. Drawing from my extensive experience working with grassroots farmers, this paper highlights real-world insights into challenges and successes in improving agricultural practices. Crop diversification, such as quinoa cultivation, has successfully increased farmers’ income streams and improved soil health. (Rahman and Alam, 2019). Mechanization, particularly solar-powered irrigation systems, has lowered operational costs and environmental impact. (British American Tobacco Bangladesh, 2023). Comparisons with Brazil’s technologically advanced agricultural systems reveal key areas where Bangladesh must accelerate its adoption of precision agriculture technologies (Van Loon et al., 2020). Farmer health and crop insurance schemes have further strengthened the resilience of farming communities (Khan et al., 2021). This paper underscores the role of sustainable technologies in addressing Bangladesh’s environmental vulnerabilities and their potential to attract higher investments into the agricultural sector, aligning with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).growth of the industry—over 7% year-on-year, the environmental consequences of desalination by mid-century will be prodigious. Resolving the water scarcity issue at the expense of the environment is a classic case of anthropic management failures and a product of the current linear economic model that the solution is based upon. Therefore, this study aimed to identify mechanisms to render desalination a sustainable alternative water supply. It focused on decarbonising desalination, reducing upstream and downstream impacts via resource efficiency, and valorising waste and emissions. The solution is framed within the water-energy-resource nexus concept, leading to the development of an Integrated Infrastructure System (IIS) model for sustainable SWRO, utilising lifecycle thinking and systems modelling. A lifecycle-wide sustainability assessment of SWRO desalination was conducted, establishing the status quo and developing the IIS model. The findings indicate that SWRO, particularly when powered by renewable energy (REN-SWRO), has significant potential for lifecycle-wide impact reduction. The fossil energy decoupling of SWRO improves its overall sustainability performance by 19% compared to conventional SWRO. That includes an 86% reduction in GHG footprint (4.37 kgCO2-eq/m3 of conventional SWRO vs 0.598 kgCO2-eq/m3 of REN-SWRO) and a 45% reduction in the material footprint. Moreover, the IIS model optimises material and energy flows through synergistic metabolic processes. The approach also uncovers multilevel opportunities that enhance social and economic value (regional added value score increases from 1.71 to 5.0), promoting sustainable production and consumption.

Author: H. J Snigdha

Published in: World Congress on Sustainable Technologies (WCST-2024)

• Date of Conference: 4-6 November 2024
• DOI: 10.20533/WCST.2024.0005
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-77-8
• Conference Location: St Anne’s College, Oxford University, UK