Shifting Cultivation and its Alternatives in Bangladesh: Productivity, Risk and Discount Rates

This study evaluates the economic feasibility of replacing shifting cultivation (Jhum) with settled agriculture and new soil conservation technology based on an assessment of the farmers’ risk and corresponding discount rates in the Khagrachari hill district of Bangladesh. Shifting cultivation can cause top soil loss, degradation of soil quality, and decrease in crop yield but significant improvements in yields could also be achieved with increased fallowing. On the other hand, the use of soil conservation technology is found to be highly profitable. The study finds that the social discount rate is a crucial factor determining the switch from shifting cultivation to new soil conservation methods. Jhum farmers are likely to switch to the new technology in a 3-year rotation scheme only if their rate of discount is below 58%. On the other hand, farmers with a 6- year rotation would switch as long as their discount rate is less 33%. Because they discount the future rather heavily, poor farmers with short fallows would require very high returns to tempt them to adopt a new type of farming. High initial cost of establishment, long gestation period, and unclear customary rights are additional deterrents to the adoption of soil conservation technology. The study concludes that these problems can be overcome if financial support and technical assistance are made available

Impact of Versatile Multi-crop Planter on service providers’ livelihood in some selected areas of Bangladesh

The cropping intensity of Bangladesh is increasing year after year because most small holders start growing three or more crops in a year. Over a 5-year cycle due to changing profitability of crops, farmers cultivate 4-6 crops with diverse seed sizes, seed rate, row spacing, fertilizer rates, and seed depth. Hence a planter for such diverse cropping systems needs to have multi-functional capabilities. Service providers also need to be able to hire out their planter for business all year round to justify the investment cost. There are a number of other criteria and challenges that would need to be satisfied by potential purchasers of a planter. The VMP (Versatile Multi-crop Planter) is such a unique machine for two-wheel tractor which can meet the above criteria and successfully establish a diverse range of crops since 2008 (Haque et al., 2011). It has designed with capability for seeding and fertilizing with fluted roller or vertical plate meters in lines for single-pass shallow-tillage, strip planting, zero tillage and bed planting. The service providers remove seeding unit from VMP and convert only for high speed rotary tiller (HSRT). Most of the grain seeds like wheat, paddy, maize, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. can be sown in line using VMP. It owners are using this device for their own land cultivation and earning cash income through custom hiring to other farmers and could improve their livelihood through this machine. Therefore, an attempt was made to assess the profitability of VMP operations at farm level and the impacts of its operations on service providers’ livelihood

Impacts of conservation tillage machinery on service provider’s livelihood: A farm level study

Most tillage operations in Bangladesh are done by power tiller to lower cost and decrrease time required for cultivation (Islam, 2000; Miah, 2000; Barton, 2000; Miah et al., 2002; Haque et al., 2008). The traditional tillage method reduces soil organic carbon at double rate and decreases soil fertility (Grace, 2003), has losses of irrigation water and soils (Sayre and Hobbs, 2003), and damages the ecological environment (Grace, 2003). Therefore, the concept of conservation tillage has arisen all over the world which is new in Bangladesh. A power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) is a two wheel tractor operated seed drill, widely used for establishment of various crops. The sowing of seeds and laddering operations are completed simultaneously in a single pass using PTOS in many areas of Bangladesh. Most of the grain seeds like wheat, paddy, maize, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc are sown in line using PTOS. The owners of PTOS are using this device for their own land cultivation and earning cash income through custom hiring to other farmers. The custom hiring of PTOS is highly profitable at farm level (Miah et al. 2010) and many service providers could improve their livelihood through this machine. The socioeconomic impacts of this popular conservation tillage implement have not been done in the country. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explore the socio-economic profile of the PTOS service providers; to find out the usages pattern and problems of PTOS at service providers’ level; and to determine the impacts of PTOS on the livelihoods of service providers

From Slash-and-Burn to Sustainability – A Study from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

because their traditional ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Farmers in these communities have to farm more intensively and this is causing a whole host of environmental and social problems. This challenge is not limited to this region, but is being experienced by traditional farmers across the developing world. To help find a solution to this crucial problem, a new SANDEE study looks at the economic and social feasibility of replacing shifting cultivation in the hill district of Khagrachari with settled agriculture and new soil conservation techniques based around orchard growing.agriculture, bangladesh, farmers, soil conservation, shifting cultivation

CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF FRUITS IN A SELECTED AREA OF BANGLADESH

This study was an attempt to examine the consumption pattern and the factors affecting consumption of fruits in an area of Gazipur district. Consumption of fresh fruits in rural area was higher than that of urban area. Rural people mainly consumed fruits from their own production, whereas urban peoples' main source was purchase. Sharp seasonal variation in consumption was found in the study area; peak period consumption was about twenty one times higher than that of slack period. Urban consumers consumed proportionately more amount of banana, papaya, pineapple and citrus fruits than their rural counterpart. Fruit consumption was affected by the amount available from own production and income of the consumer. Education and knowledge about fruits had little or no impact on fruit consumption

RETURNS TO INVESTMENT IN SUMMER ONION RESEARCH AND EXTENSION IN BANGLADESH

The study estimated the rates of returns to investment on research and development of summer onion in Bangladesh. The Economic Surplus Model with ex-post analysis using secondary data was used to determine the returns to investment and its distribution between the production and consumption. Several discounting techniques were also used to assess the impact of summer onion research. The results revealed that the growth of area and production of onion increased manifolds due to farm level adoption of summer onion. The summer onion adoption rate was found increasing trend over the period. The yield of summer onion was 57.04% higher than the local variety. The internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and benefit cost ratio (BCR) were estimated to be 25%, Tk.35.29 million and 3.09 respectively. Sensitivity analysis revealed that under various assumptions IRR ranged from 20 to 41%, NPV from Tk.18.37 to Tk.64.05 million, and BCR from 2.31 to 5.95. The results indicated that investment in research and development of summer onion was a good investment

Shifting Cultivation and its Alternatives in Bangladesh: Productivity, Risk and Discount Rates

This study evaluates the economic feasibility of replacing shifting cultivation (Jhum) with settled agriculture and new soil conservation technology based on an assessment of the farmers’ risk and corresponding discount rates in the Khagrachari hill district of Bangladesh.soil erosion, MSFO, rate of return, discount rate, property rights, Bangladesh, economic, feasibility, soil, conservation, technology, farmer's, agriculture, Shifting (Jhum) cultivation,