Comparative study of integrated farming system in Punjab (India) and northern part of Bangladesh
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Date
2021
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Publisher
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study entitled “A comparative study of integrated farming system in Punjab (India)
and northern part of Bangladesh” was undertaken to compare the productivity and economic
profitability of integrated farming systems between the locations. Two districts were purposively
selected from Punjab (Amritsar and Patiala) and the northern part of Bangladesh (Rangpur and
Kurigram) as the locale of the study, and 120 IFS farmers were personally interviewed through a
semi-structured questionnaire for data collection in each side. Two Focus Group Discussions
(FGDs) were also conducted in each location involving farmers and expert members to analyze
IFS problems and enumerate suggestions. The results revealed that major crops grown in Punjab
were wheat, paddy, vegetables and basmati, whereas the major crops grown in Bangladesh were
paddy, vegetables, wheat and fruits. The gross cropped area among the sampled respondents was
10.52 hectares and 4.40 hectares per farm in Punjab and Bangladesh parts, respectively. The
cropping intensity were observed 206 and 230 per cent in Punjab and Bangladesh part. Most of the
respondents (55.00%) had a Crops + Dairy farming system in Punjab location, where 40 per cent
respondents followed in Bangladesh part. Bangladesh's farmers practiced Crops+ Fisheries models
maximum of 42.50 per cent, which is 20.83 per cent in Punjab. The Agriculture (crops) + Dairy
farming system having the highest net returns ($ 6136.34) per hectare was the most profitable
farming system in Punjab's study area, which produced the second-highest net returns of $
4585.31 per hectare in Bangladesh part. The Agriculture (crops) + Fisheries + Poultry system was
the most promising in Bangladesh location yielding maximum net returns ($ 4714.73) per hectare,
which had a second-highest net return of $ 5038.47 in Punjab part. Agriculture (crops) +
Mushroom + Bee-keeping model was another productive IFS model in Punjab survey areas, which
was not profitable in Bangladesh in terms of net returns gained per hectare. The Agriculture +
Fisheries system produced more returns in the study area of Bangladesh than the Punjab part. The
combination of Agriculture (crops) + Horticulture (flower, fruits) had the lowest net returns per
hectare both in the study areas of Punjab and Bangladesh. Correlation test indicated that
education, farm size, annual income, social participation, extension contacts, mass media
exposure, training experiences and family labour force were significant positive variables among
the farmers of both Punjab and Bangladesh study areas in keeping multiple enterprises. Lack of
marketing for products from various components, lack of IFS models demonstration, high initial
costs, lack of storing and processing facilities were major IFS problems in Punjab as well as
Bangladesh location. The majority of the farmers and expert members suggested developing
location-specific IFS models, promoting agro-processing industries, ensuring proper marketing
facilities, coordinating extension services, and appropriate governmental policies for the
improvement of IFS activities in both locations.
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Citation
Sheikh, Mohiuddin (2021). Comparative study of integrated farming system in Punjab (India) and northern part of Bangladesh (Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.