Private Sector Agro Input Companies Contribute to Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture in Southern Bangladesh: Evidence from Faridpur and Khulna

Abstract

Background and Study Areas: Southern Bangladesh faces challenges related to nutritious food production, quality inputs, and technological solutions. Agro-input companies are key players in providing seeds, fertilizers, and services to promote agricultural farming and diverse, nutritious food production. The study examined the role of agro-input companies in enhancing nutritious, diverse food production and consumption for Khulna and Faridpur districts. Methods: This study examines the role of agro-input companies in promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture, diverse food production, and consumption in southern Bangladesh, focusing on the Faridpur and Khulna districts. A mixed-method approach was applied, combining quantitative household surveys with qualitative assessments, and the findings were triangulated with secondary data to strengthen the results. Results: The study revealed that 89.00% of farmers learned nutrition-sensitive food production methods from agro-input companies, while 52.49% increased their knowledge of diversified production techniques. Additionally, 74.50% of farmers used improved vegetable varieties, 64.00% adopted new technologies, 69.31% used high-yielding seeds, and only 13.21% cultivated stress-tolerant varieties. As a result, 80.71% of households consumed nutritious and diverse foods. At the household level, 43.85% of households consumed all their produce, 26.08% sold surplus, and 29.35% shared excess with the neighbors. Access to agricultural inputs was generally high, with 83.98% of households confirming the availability of quality inputs in both districts. Overall, the findings highlight that agro-input companies play an important role in promoting nutrition-sensitive and diversified food production by supporting the adoption of innovative technologies, increasing household dietary diversity, and reinforcing the agricultural input supply chain, thereby fostering sustainable food systems in southern Bangladesh. Limitation: The study is limited by its focus on only two districts, which may not represent all of southern Bangladesh. Conclusion: Agro-input companies remarkably promote quality seeds, fertilizer, new technologies, farming education, and market linkages to enhance nutritious and diverse food production in southern Bangladesh. The training and embedded services boost farmer adoption, contributing to increased production and dietary diversity, surplus sales, and sustainable agricultural practices.