Modelling And Policy Integration Of Sustainable Rice Farming Systems In Bangladesh
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Date
2015-03
Authors
ROY, RANJAN
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Abstract
Realising the state of food insecurity and agricultural pollution in the world, rice
farming has emerged as a crucial concern of socio-economic development. Rice is
the staple food for more than one-half of the world’s population and rice farming
provides the single largest source of the livelihood for rural Asians. Objectives of
this study includes (i) the development of an essential set of indicators of sustainable
rice farming (SRF); (ii) empirically assessing the sustainability of rice farming and
examining the determinant of sustainable irrigated and rain-fed rice farming; (iii)
developing a model of SRF; and (iv) evaluating policy integration of human resource
development (HRD) (since assessment deduced HRD is the most influential
indicator) and providing means and measures to enhance HRD policy integration in
rice-dominated agricultural sector. Towards the above objectives, the methodology
involves developing a representative set of factors and indicators by employing an
assemblage of top-down and bottom-up approaches. Based on the four pillars of
sustainability, e.g. economic, and using several statistical tools, e.g. regression,
composite indices were constructed for assessing rice farming sustainability. Data
were collected and cross-checked using a farm household survey and key informant
interview with stakeholders, respectively from fifteen villages of three major rice
growing ecosystems in Bangladesh, namely, irrigated, rainfed lowland and upland. A
review of policy instruments and case study research was conducted for evaluating
policy integration. Results reveal that less than half of the rice growers were
sustainable in terms of economical viability, environmental soundness, and socioxiv
political development. Categorically, Boro rice farming was found to be the most
sustainable, followed by Aman and Aus rice farming. Based on the findings, a model
of SRF is designed, consisting of influential indicators, strategies and goals of
dimensions, drivers of a conducive policy environment as well as cultural and ethical
issues. Additionally, result shows that HRD issue was fairly included in all policies
and strategies and the main weakness remains in its reporting, financial arrangement
and evaluation process. This study concludes that in terms of aforementioned
dimensions of SRF, the majority of growers face several challenges and these will
reasonably be aggravated in the context of climate change. Moreover, HRD is a key
aspect for weaving sustainable farming development. Several policy inputs are
drawn, e.g. investing in the generation and dissemination of resource conserving
practices and technologies and mainstreaming HRD issue in planning, strategies and
policies are required for promoting SRF systems, which contributes to sustainable
development in Bangladesh.
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Modelling And Policy Integration Of Sustainable Rice Farming Systems , In Bangladesh