Employment Generation, Increasing Productivity and Improving Food Security through Farming Systems Technologies in the Monga Regions of Bangladesh

Abstract

Monga is seasonal food insecurity in ecologically vulnerable and economically weak parts of north-western Bangladesh, primarily caused by an employment and income deficit before Transplanted aman paddy (summer rice) harvest. It mainly affects those rural poor, who have an undiversified income that is directly or indirectly based on agriculture. Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts under greater Rangpur region are severely affected by Monga. For increasing employment and food accessibility in these regions this study was undertaken. The farm accounting data for this empirical application have been collected from two districts (Rangpur and Lalmonirhat) of greater Rangpur through a farm management survey. A sample of 90 farms from each district has been surveyed taking 30 from marginal, 30 from small and 30 from medium farm groups using random sampling technique method. Farmers get lower return due to lack of crop diversification. Linear programming model used to produce optimum farm plans for marginal, small and medium farms (i) by reorganization of existing resources (ii) by combination of improved technologies with existing technologies. For increasing food accessibility and employment, optimum farm plans by reorganization of improved technology have been conducted among six farmers in the study villages at 2010-2011. By reorganization of existing cropping patterns (using Linear Programing Model) gross output (7% to 21%), gross margin (12% to 20%) and labour employment (6% to 20%) have been increased from plan1 (existing plan) to plan 2 (by reorganization of existing lands). The cause of increase gross output, gross margin and labour employment was some cultivated land from less efficient cropping patterns has been transferred to more efficient cropping patterns. Again, by reorganization of existing and improved cropping patterns, some lands of existing patterns have been shifted to improved cropping pattern. As a result, gross out (17% to 31%), gross margin (27% to 32%) and labour employment (13% to 26%) have been raised from plan1 to plan 3 (by combination of improved technologies with existing technologies). The result of on farm demonstration showed gross output, gross margin and labour employment have been increased 24% to 53%, 32% to 51% and 12% to 47% from plan1 to plan 3, respectively. So, this study suggest, optimum farm plan with the combination of existing and improved cropping pattern will increase farm output and generate additional employment.