Bangladesh Agriculture Research Articles

FTIR Analysis of Pesticide Active Ingredients into Seasonal Vegetables: Ensuring Food Safety and Raising Awareness

Bangladesh's agriculture sector heavily relies on the use of pesticides for pest control and production. However, improper use and unsafe handling practices can lead to the bio-accumulation of pesticide active ingredients in vegetables, causing high farmer exposure and adverse health effects. This study aimed to detect the presence of pesticide active ingredients in raw vegetables using Infrared Spectroscopy (IR). The study involved four fruit vegetables (Eggplants, Tomatoes, Bitter gourd, Green-bean) and 11 different pesticides used by farmers. The results showed that the most widely applied pesticides were moderately toxic WHO class II pesticides. Organophosphate, Neonicotinoid, and fungicide were found in fruits vegetables (Green bean, bitter gourd & eggplant). Food contamination is a serious concern for developing countries, including Bangladesh. Improper pesticide application can lead to a buildup of agrochemical active ingredients on plants' edible portions, potentially absorbing into the food chain. Programs like farmer’s field school, integrated pest management, and the department of agricultural extension's awareness program can help enhance knowledge about effective pesticide usage and prevent health issues related to personal health and safety. It is crucial to limit and avoid misuse and overdose of pesticides in vegetables to prevent the distribution of pesticide molecules and prevent acute and chronic health complications.

Induced Innovation Theory and Technological Progress in Bangladesh Agriculture in the Twentieth Century

This paper explores the relationship between factor price ratios and factor intensities during the period of rapid spread of high yield variety (HYV) technology of cereal production in Bangladesh agriculture. The theory of induced innovation suggests that an increase in the relative price of a factor would lead farmers to adopt technologies that minimize the usage of that factor, and conversely. However, available data from Bangladesh agriculture indicate that although the price of fertilizer, a key factor in HYV cultivation, relative to land and labor, rose substantially during the study period, the fertilizer-labor and fertilizer-land intensities in cultivation also rose very steeply. It is shown that minimizing the use of the expensive factor is neither necessary nor sufficient for profit maximization in agricultural production. Social Science Review, Vol. 41(1), June 2024, Page 179-194.

Farmers Attitude towards Climate Smart Agriculture in Bangladesh: A Case Study of Dhamrai Upazila, Dhaka

Farmers Attitude towards Climate Smart Agriculture in Bangladesh: A Case Study of Dhamrai Upazila, Dhaka

Sustainable practices for cotton production in Bangladesh: economic and environmental perspectives

Cotton is a major cash crop in the agriculture of Bangladesh, primarily fueling its substantial textile industry. Although local production is limited, cotton has the potential to bolster the country’s economic growth by supporting local economies and improving agricultural sustainability. An in-depth sustainability assessment of this integral crop is essential to ensure its long-term economic and environmental viability. This study aims to evaluate the sustainability of cotton production in Bangladesh and suggest strategic enhancements and policy measures to improve its environmental, economic, and social aspects. Data were collected from 60 farmers in two villages of Jashore district using a simple random sampling technique. A combination of descriptive, mathematical and statistical techniques was used to analyze the data. The findings highlighted a profitable benefit–cost ratio of 1.88 for cotton production. Positive impacts on cotton profitability were notably linked to the costs of labor, land preparation, and insecticides and pesticides. Despite this, 60% of farmers faced substantial challenges, including financial barriers, limited access to modern agricultural technologies, and a lack of training in sustainable practices. Economic constraints were a major barrier, although the environmental benefits of sustainable practices were widely acknowledged. To address these issues, the study recommends optimizing inputs like labor, land preparation, and pest management, and advocates for policy actions such as subsidies, tax incentives, and enhanced training programs to support the widespread adoption of sustainable practices across Bangladesh.

Coastal Farmers’ Attitude Towards Climate Smart Agriculture In Bangladesh

Coastal Farmers’ Attitude Towards Climate Smart Agriculture In Bangladesh

Impact of Water and Soil Salinity on Coastal Agriculture in Bangladesh: Insights and Mitigation Strategies

Salinity intrusion is one of the major problems in coastal regions in Bangladesh which affects crop production and livelihood. This study examines the impact of salinity intrusion from the Pasur River on soil quality and agricultural productivity in the coastal region of Bangladesh. For this study, both water and soil collections and field surveys were carried out in seven unions that are directly impacted by the river in Dacope and Mongla Upazilas. Physicochemical analyses of water and soil samples revealed significant variations in salinity levels, with higher concentrations observed in southern regions’ spatial distribution. A strong positive relationship between water and soil salinity indicates a direct influence of river salinity on soil quality from the Pearson correlation analysis. Survey data from 240 respondents, predominantly farmers, corroborated these results, with widespread recognition of salinity’s detrimental effects on crop yields, especially rice. So, smaller farms focus on vegetables, medium on rice, and larger ones on high-value crops like watermelon. Mitigation strategies such as freshwater irrigation, drainage systems, and salt-tolerant crop cultivation were identified as potential remedies. Additionally, experts suggested implementing sluice gates to control saltwater intrusion from tributary rivers like Chila Khal. These results emphasize the immediate requirement for proactive actions to reduce the negative effects of salt-induced soil degradation and ensure sustainable agricultural practices in the vulnerable region.

Impact of Internet of Things (IoT) on Enhancing Transparency and Efficiency in Bangladesh's Agri-food Supply Chain

Background: The agri-food supply chain in Bangladesh is crucial for the nation's sustenance and economic stability but faces challenges like lack of transparency, inefficiencies, and information asymmetry. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies offers transformative potential, enhancing the Transparent Physical and Information Flow (PHF) and thereby influencing the Transparency in the Agri-food Supply Chain (TASC). Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of IoT integration on PHF and its subsequent effect on TASC in Bangladesh, framed around two core hypotheses: the significant influence of IoT on PHF and the consequent impact of an IoT-enhanced PHF on TASC. Methods: Employing a comprehensive methodological framework, the study utilized IBM SPSS for exploratory factor analysis and IBM AMOS for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the relationships between IoT technologies, PHF, and TASC. The analysis was based on data collected from 400 respondents in Bangladesh's agriculture sector. Results and Conclusion: The findings validate both hypotheses, demonstrating a significant and positive impact of IoT technologies on PHF and, subsequently, on TASC. The results highlight the crucial role of IoT in enhancing supply chain transparency and operational efficiency. Implications of the Research: This research provides empirical evidence on the effectiveness of IoT technologies in addressing transparency issues within the agri-food supply chain. It underscores the potential of IoT to foster improved decision-making, efficiency, and consumer trust in the agricultural sector, particularly in developing contexts like Bangladesh. Originality/Value: This study contributes original insights into the role of IoT technologies in enhancing the agri-food supply chain's transparency and efficiency. By focusing on the context of Bangladesh, it offers valuable implications for policymakers, industry practitioners, and researchers, emphasizing the transformative potential of IoT in agricultural supply chain management.

The significance of farmers’ climate change and salinity perceptions for on-farm adaptation strategies in the south-central coast of Bangladesh

Climate change contributes to a rise in salinity levels in the coastal regions of Bangladesh, notably impacting agricultural productivity. Therefore, crop-level adaptation strategies against salinity are crucial to increase productivity. In this study, our objective is to explore farm-level adaptation to climate change-induced salinity in the south-central coastal area of Bangladesh, considering the farmers' perception of climate change and salinity ingress as well as their adaptation strategies. Subsequently, we compare our findings with climatic and salinity data acquired from secondary sources. The study area was partitioned into three distinct zones delineated by proximity to the coastline, and primary data was collected from 475 households within these salinity zones using a multistage random sampling technique. Data collection was carried out using semi-structured questionnaires, which had been pretested on the respondents' perceptions for validity and reliability. The results indicate that while farmers possess an awareness of long-term alterations in climatic conditions, such as changes in temperature and precipitation, they often fail to attribute these changes to climate change explicitly. They could perceive changes in salinity over time but had difficulty perceiving cyclonic events. Farmers realize the risks posed by hydroclimatic variability and extreme weather events. Interestingly, while farmers may not be taking explicit measures to address perceived climatic changes, we discern that they are indeed modifying their agricultural and farming practices, such as fertilizer application, land leveling, and freshwater application. Traditional farming systems increase vulnerability and reduce persistence. In pursuit of enhanced resilience, households must implement various adaptation strategies for resilient farming practices. Moreover, our findings indicate that farmers are interested in adopting diverse adaptation strategies that require technical and financial support, particularly for the smallholders. In conclusion, this research provides valuable information for formulating climate change adaptation policies in the context of coastal agriculture in Bangladesh.

Characterization of a New, Country Bean (Lablab purpureus) Lineage of Bean Common Mosaic Necrosis Virus.

Country bean (Lablab purpureus, family Fabaceae) is grown in subsistence agriculture in Bangladesh as a multipurpose crop for food, animal feed, and green manure. This study was undertaken to investigate the genetic diversity of bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV, genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae) in country beans. Leaf samples from country beans showing yellowing, vein banding, and mosaic symptoms were collected during field surveys between 2015 and 2019 cropping seasons from farmers' fields in different geographic regions. These samples were tested by serological and molecular diagnostic assays for the presence of BCMNV. Virus-positive samples were subjected to high-throughput Illumina sequencing to generate near-complete genomes of BCMNV isolates. In pairwise comparisons, the polyprotein sequences of BCMNV isolates from Bangladesh showed greater than 98% identities among themselves and shared less than 84% sequence identity at the nucleotide level with virus isolates reported from other countries. In the phylogenetic analysis, BCMNV isolates from Bangladeshi country beans formed a separate clade from virus isolates reported from common beans in other countries in the Americas, Africa, Europe, and from East Timor. Grow-out studies showed seed-to-seedling transmission of BCMNV, implying a possible seedborne nature of the virus in country beans.

Economic Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture: A Study of India and its Neighbouring Countries Using ARDL Approach

This study aims to analyze the association between the share of agriculture in GDP and changes in climatic variables, notably per capita CO2 emissions and temperature change, using time series data of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal for the period 1961-2018. The ARDL bounds testing method was applied to analyze the relationships among the research variables for both short-term and long-term. The results revealed that in the long run, per capita CO2 emissions and temperature change have no statistically significant relationship with India and Nepal’s share of agriculture in GDP. However, temperature change has demonstrated a positive and statistically significant relationship with the share of agriculture in Bangladesh’s GDP. Temperature change has a significant and adverse impact on the share of agriculture in India’s GDP in the short run, whereas CO2 has no significant effect. In the short run, CO2 shows a positive and significant connection with the share of agriculture in Bangladesh’s GDP. Still, temperature change is negatively and significantly associated with the proportion of agriculture in the nation’s GDP. Different lag values of both CO2 and temperature change have significant relationships with the share of GDP in agriculture in the short run in Nepal. As agriculture is a key source of GDP for all three countries, it is vital to implement suitable policies and make plans and strategies to mitigate climate change’s harmful consequences in agriculture.

ICTs and Smart Agriculture in Bangladesh: Way of Sustainable Development

This paper analyzes how the farmers of Bangladesh use the modern technology of information and communication for gathering different agricultural data. Farmers of Bangladesh are being encouraged to use smart devices of information and technology such as smart phones, android phones, laptops, desktops, electronic television for getting updates on different agricultural products, harvesting, and competitive markets. Information and communication technology includes all the devices with inbuilt human to human and device to human interaction systems. Thus, information and technology have a direct and indirect impact on rising farmers’ productivity and growth for sustainable management. This study sheds light on the understanding of the effect of information and communication technology in agricultural growth of Bangladesh for sustainable development with the help of conclusive research design and secondary method of data collection has adopted in this research for understanding of the importance of using information and technology in smart agriculture.

Climate change and agriculture nexus in Bangladesh: Evidence from ARDL and ECM techniques

The erratic weather puts farming households of Bangladesh at high production risk with significant consequences on food production, income, and livelihood. This study attempts to find the effect of various climate change indicators on agriculture in Bangladesh over the period 1980–2014. The study used the ARDL bounds testing approach to assess the long-run associations and the Granger causality test to determine the causal relationships between the regressors and dependent variables. The outcomes revealed that the first lag of agricultural value-added, second lag of carbon emissions, and average rainfall have a positive impact while the first lag of carbon has negative and significant impacts on agricultural production in the long run; in the short run-past realizations of carbon emission have a negative and significant impact on agricultural value-added. Additionally, the results show a unidirectional causality from carbon emission to agricultural output, agricultural output to average rainfall, and agricultural output to energy consumption. The study fills the gap in the climate change literature by applying the ARDL method to establish the nexus between climate change and agricultural output in Bangladesh.

Long and Short-Run Effects of Climate Change on Boro Rice Productivity: An Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh

This study endeavors to examine the effect of climate change on Boro rice productivity in Bangladesh. Unit root, Co-integration and Vector Error Correction Model estimation technique are applied to measure the climate-crop yield interrelation on the basis of country level time series data for the period 1972-2019. Average maximum and minimum temperature, rainfall and humidity are used to attribute variables for climate change. The result of vector error correction model denotes that both in the long-run and short-run, average maximum temperature, average total rainfall and humidity negatively effect on Boro rice productivity in Bangladesh respectively. On the other hand, Average minimum temperature is positively effect on Boro rice productivity in the short-run. Fertilizer and irrigation have positive effect on Boro rice productivity in the short-run respectively. Conversely, labor has robust negative effect on Boro rice productivity in the short-run in Bangladesh agriculture. Policy maker should develop policies to mitigate temperature and introduce heat tolerant rice varieties and adaptation measure to sustain the Boro rice productivity in Bangladesh.

Influence of Climate Factors on Aman Rice Yield in Bangladesh: Co-Integration and Vector Error Correction Model Approach

Climate factors’ consequence on human performance has occurred as a worldwide apprehension in the earlier 30 years. This study explores climate factors’ influence on Aman rice production in Bangladesh. Co-integration and Vector Error Correction Model approximation procedure is applied to measure the climate-crop harvest interrelation on the basis of country-level time series data for the time 1972-2019. Changing in mean maximum and minimum temperature, annual men rainfall, and average humidity are used as characteristic variables for climate factors. The result of the vector error correction model denotes that both in the long-run and short-run, average maximum temperature and average total rainfall inversely affect Aman rice yield in Bangladesh respectively. Average minimum temperature and average humidity positively affect Aman rice production in the short run respectively. Fertilizers and irrigation have a positive influence on Aman rice yield in the short-run correspondingly. Conversely, labor has a robust negative consequence on Aman rice yield in the short-run in Bangladesh agriculture. Policymakers would develop policies to control temperature and introduce heat-tolerant rice varieties and adaptation measures to sustain Aman rice production in Bangladesh.

Impact of COVID‐19 on Bangladesh's agriculture sector and the ways forward to recovery: An overview

The COVID‐19 outbreak has left an indelible effect on Bangladesh's agriculture sector, like that of most developing countries. Considering that agriculture is the cornerstone of Bangladesh's economy, we made an effort to compile a detailed scenario of COVID‐19's effect on it through a relevant literature review. Since no significant studies outlined a complete picture of the pandemic's impact on agriculture, our study ventured to reveal the circumstances of each sub‐sector of agriculture. During the early phases of the pandemic, farmers engaged in agriculture production got poor prices, with the majority of them incurring losses. Labor shortages and input scarcity were the most prevailing hindrances across all the sub‐sectors. The export volume seemed to shrink hugely, hurting the country's GDP. The supply chain for agricultural commodities was disrupted as a result of the lockdown and mobility restrictions, which resulted in the elimination of the majority of intermediaries. Unprecedented challenges occurred in the input and output markets, as well as in the agro‐industries, exacerbating the situation. However, while the vegetables and poultry sub‐sectors recovered utterly and the dairy sub‐sector somehow managed to stabilize, other sub‐sectors are still grieving. This study highlighted some policies that can mitigate the miseries of the agriculture sector and overcome further potential threats in Bangladesh and other agriculture‐led developing countries.

GROUNDWATER USE EFFICIENCY FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: PROSPECTS IN BANGLADESH

Bangladesh is a developing country where contribution of agriculture in national GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is 12.68%. In agricultural sector, about 79% irrigation has been provided by groundwater. The extensive installation of deep tubewells (34,332) and shallow tubewells (1,483,332), in last two decades, helps in maximum utilization of groundwater which is leading Bangladesh to reach near to the self-sufficiency in rice production (35.3 metric tons in 2019). But the continuous production of boro rice in the dry season is a threat for groundwater use efficiency. Again, without sufficient irrigation water, assuring sustainable agriculture is not feasible. This review paper had been prepared on the developing scenario of groundwater and its utilization efficiency, problems in groundwater use and relevant remedies to attain sustainable agriculture in Bangladesh. Due to the over extraction of groundwater, the depth of groundwater table has been declined (15%) miserably. Using redundant amount of irrigation water, conveyance loss (8-40%), arsenic contamination, insufficient recharge of groundwater etc. are the major problems behind inadequate groundwater use efficiency. Using Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method, reducing conveyance loss, diversifying cropping pattern, reforming national policies etc. are some effective measures to increase groundwater use efficiency required for sustainable agriculture. About 10,000 tk/ha can be saved just by minimizing the cost required to extract excess groundwater for irrigation. In Bangladesh, maximum national policies are focusing exclusively to the resource development rather than the resource management. The awareness can be built through different teaching programs among all the stakeholders. Rather than just imposing restriction on installation of tubewells, more constructive policies have to be announced by the policy makers. Seven different agencies are now working for the management of groundwater in Bangladesh. Besides other technical solutions, there should be a connection between different organizations related to the groundwater management for the effective implementation of their target policies.

The economic influence of climate change on Bangladesh agriculture: application of a dynamic computable general equilibrium model

PurposeEvaluating the economic effects of climate change is a pivotal step for planning adaptation in developing countries. For Bangladesh, global warming has put it among the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, with increasing temperatures and sea-level rise. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to examine how climate change impacts the economy in Bangladesh in the case of climate scenarios.Design/methodology/approachUsing a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and three climate change scenarios, this paper assesses the economy-wide implications of climate change on Bangladesh’s economy and agriculture. It is clear from the examination of the CGE model that the impacts of climate change on agricultural sectors were felt more sharply, reducing output by −3.25% and −3.70%, respectively, and increasing imports by 1.22% and 1.53% in 2030 and 2050, compared to the baseline.FindingsThe findings reveal that, relative to baseline, agricultural output will decline by a range of −3.1% to −3.6% under the high climate scenario (higher temperatures and lower yields). A decrease in agricultural output results in declines in agricultural labor and household income. Household income falls in all categories, although it drops the most in urban less educated households with a range of −3.1% to −3.4%. On the other hand, consumption of commodities will fall by −0.11% to −0.13%, according to the findings. Although climate change impacts had a relatively small effect on gross domestic product, reducing it by −0.059% and −0.098% in 2030 and 2050, respectively.Practical implicationsAs agricultural output, household consumption and income decline, it will impact the majority of the population’s health in Bangladesh by increasing malnutrition, hidden hunger, poverty, changing food environment, changing physical and mental health status and a changing health-care environment. Therefore, population health and food security will be a top socioeconomic and political concern for Bangladesh Government.Originality/valueThe examination of the dynamic CGE model is its originality. In conclusion, the evidence generated here can provide important information to policymakers and guide government policies that contribute to national development and the achievement of food security targets. It is also necessary to put more emphasis on climate change issues and address potential risks in the following years.

An Application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to Examining Farmers’ Behavioral Attitude and Intention towards Conservation Agriculture in Bangladesh

Despite being widely advocated as a climate-smart farming system, the adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) among Bangladeshi farmers has remained surprisingly low. Evidence indicates that farmers’ behavior regarding the adoption and continuation of CA is affected by their socioeconomic and psychological factors. This study combined the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theories to examine the socio-psychological determinants of Bangladeshi farmers’ behavior regarding the adoption of CA. The proposed model included both reflective and formative measurements. Based on data collected from 201 CA farmers, this research used a variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to test the model. The analysis showed that the components of this integrated model explained more variance (Intention: 48.9%; Attitude: 59.2%) than the original TAM framework (Intention: 45.8%; Attitude: 54.5%). Farmers’ attitudes toward the continuation of CA were most influenced by the Relative Advantage (RA) of CA (β = 0.337). The low level of Complexity (β = 0.225) and Compatibility (β = 0.273) of CA had a significant positive effect on attitude. In a campaign to encourage farmers to act more sustainably, interventions should emphasize CA’s long-term benefits, such as its effects on soil, yield, and the environment.

Impact of climate change on agriculture in Bangladesh: A study on Tangail district

Climate change and its impact on agriculture are global concern but it’s becoming a major threat for Bangladesh because where lives and livelihood depends on agriculture. In Bangladesh 164 million people depend on rice but due to climate change vulnerabilities the yield of rice has been reducing. This paper studies the impact of climate change on agriculture and adaptation of new strategies to fight against the different causes of climate changes of Tangail district. Tangail district is highly sensitive to climate events such as, flood, soil erosion, heavy rainfall, drought, storm surge etc. These natural disasters have increased due to climate change that threat on farmer’s livelihood by destructing crops, houses and infrastructure. To support the analysis a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather farmer’s perceptions of present situation and what different strategies should take to fight against climate change. The paper presented that the education level of the present generation of farmers is gradually increasing and they have perceptions that the temperature is rising, timely rainfall is not available and crop production seasons are shifting. The adaptations measures followed by the local people will increase their capacity to fight against climate change problems. A very few empirical research on the impacts of climate change in Tangail has been conducted, so researcher and policy makers get information about the concern topic by this study and implement policy for the climate change affected people of study area.

Impact on Livelihoods of Women’s Engagement in Agriculture in Bangladesh:

In Bangladesh, women’s engagement in economic activities in general and in agriculture in a particular area has remained low, but in modern times, the participation of women in agriculture has rapidly increased and also contributed to economic activities according to the survey guided by the Bureau of Statistics. Women’s role is changing from unpaid family workers to farm managers, a phenomenon termed as “feminization of agriculture” in absence of males. In order to determine the involvement of women in agricultural activities, secondary data from a representative sample survey in 62 villages conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics from 2000 to 2022 was used in conjunction with primary data from the Bangladeshi districts of Dinajpur, Cumilla, and Moulvibazar. The results show that 71% of women engaged in agricultural activities in 2022, an increase of about 11% from 2000. The participation was restricted to mostly crop farming, livestock and poultry rearing which is a marginal economic activity with the allocation of only about 1.5 hours of labor per day. Only 22% of the female workers participated in crop farming in 2022, compared to 45% of men. Only about 5% of the women participated in the agricultural labor market in 2000 and 2022. Women’s participation in the agricultural labor market remains insignificant at 3.07% of agricultural workers. A regression analysis shows that women’s engagement in agriculture is negatively related to land holding, different age gap, education of household members and wage rate, on the other hand, favorable way with the women's ages, the number of their homes that are irrigated, their membership in NGOs, the village's isolation, and the wage rate for agriculture in the community.