Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh
The wetland ecosystem (Haor) experiences recurrent flooding, which disrupts agricultural activities and impacts farmers' livelihoods annually. Addressing these challenges through integrated farming systems (IFSs) such as Crop + Livestock + Homestead-Agroforestry, Crop + Livestock + Fish...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Farming System |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949911924000571 |
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| author | Saifun Akter Jasim Uddin Ahmed Ismat Ara Begum Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar Kanij Fatema Asif Mahmud Shijun Ding Mohammad Jahangir Alam |
| author_facet | Saifun Akter Jasim Uddin Ahmed Ismat Ara Begum Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar Kanij Fatema Asif Mahmud Shijun Ding Mohammad Jahangir Alam |
| author_sort | Saifun Akter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The wetland ecosystem (Haor) experiences recurrent flooding, which disrupts agricultural activities and impacts farmers' livelihoods annually. Addressing these challenges through integrated farming systems (IFSs) such as Crop + Livestock + Homestead-Agroforestry, Crop + Livestock + Fish farming, and Livestock + Agroforestry is crucial. However, empirical evidence supporting the economic viability of specific IFSs remains limited. This study aimed to fill this gap by assessing the impact of IFSs on farmers' income and livelihoods in Sunamganj district, Bangladesh. Data from 312 participants collected before (2016) and after (2019) the project's intervention were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Farmers in this region readily adopted diverse IFSs, integrating crop cultivation, livestock rearing, vegetable production, agroforestry, fish farming, and open-water fish catching, ensuring efficient resource utilization across enterprises. Predominantly, farmers adopted the Crop + Livestock + Homestead–Agroforestry + Open water fish catching system, which had a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 1.40, while the Livestock + Homestead–Agroforestry + Open water fish catching system demonstrated the highest BCR at 1.58, indicating economic viability. Moreover, the adoption of IFSs led to a statistically significant increase in farming income (p < 0.10), contributing to a notable rise in total income. This adoption also correlated with significant improvements in human and financial capital, indicating a positive transformation in livelihood patterns. Therefore, the findings highlight the potential benefits of IFSs in enhancing farmers' well-being, specifically income and livelihood, and provide valuable insights for policymakers to support the integration of sustainable farming practices in the wetland ecosystem. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-82e71170326d45aea2641fa63d9e17b1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2949-9119 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Farming System |
| spelling | doaj-art-82e71170326d45aea2641fa63d9e17b12025-01-04T04:57:31ZengElsevierFarming System2949-91192025-01-0131100127Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of BangladeshSaifun Akter0Jasim Uddin Ahmed1Ismat Ara Begum2Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar3Kanij Fatema4Asif Mahmud5Shijun Ding6Mohammad Jahangir Alam7Department of Agricultural Economics and Policy, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, BangladeshDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Policy, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, BangladeshDepartment of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, BangladeshAgricultural Economics Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, 1701, Bangladesh; School of Economics, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, 430073, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Policy, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, BangladeshDepartment of Agricultural Economics and Policy, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, BangladeshSchool of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, 430073, ChinaDepartment of Agribusiness and Marketing, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh; Corresponding author.The wetland ecosystem (Haor) experiences recurrent flooding, which disrupts agricultural activities and impacts farmers' livelihoods annually. Addressing these challenges through integrated farming systems (IFSs) such as Crop + Livestock + Homestead-Agroforestry, Crop + Livestock + Fish farming, and Livestock + Agroforestry is crucial. However, empirical evidence supporting the economic viability of specific IFSs remains limited. This study aimed to fill this gap by assessing the impact of IFSs on farmers' income and livelihoods in Sunamganj district, Bangladesh. Data from 312 participants collected before (2016) and after (2019) the project's intervention were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Farmers in this region readily adopted diverse IFSs, integrating crop cultivation, livestock rearing, vegetable production, agroforestry, fish farming, and open-water fish catching, ensuring efficient resource utilization across enterprises. Predominantly, farmers adopted the Crop + Livestock + Homestead–Agroforestry + Open water fish catching system, which had a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 1.40, while the Livestock + Homestead–Agroforestry + Open water fish catching system demonstrated the highest BCR at 1.58, indicating economic viability. Moreover, the adoption of IFSs led to a statistically significant increase in farming income (p < 0.10), contributing to a notable rise in total income. This adoption also correlated with significant improvements in human and financial capital, indicating a positive transformation in livelihood patterns. Therefore, the findings highlight the potential benefits of IFSs in enhancing farmers' well-being, specifically income and livelihood, and provide valuable insights for policymakers to support the integration of sustainable farming practices in the wetland ecosystem.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949911924000571FarmingLivelihoodResourcesProfitabilityEcosystemWetland |
| spellingShingle | Saifun Akter Jasim Uddin Ahmed Ismat Ara Begum Md Abdur Rouf Sarkar Kanij Fatema Asif Mahmud Shijun Ding Mohammad Jahangir Alam Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh Farming System Farming Livelihood Resources Profitability Ecosystem Wetland |
| title | Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh |
| title_full | Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh |
| title_short | Integrated farming system-A means of improving farmers’ well-being in the wetland ecosystem of Bangladesh |
| title_sort | integrated farming system a means of improving farmers well being in the wetland ecosystem of bangladesh |
| topic | Farming Livelihood Resources Profitability Ecosystem Wetland |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949911924000571 |
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