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Nutritional Status and Food Security of Farm Households Under Different Land Use Patterns in Bangladesh

K. M. M. Rahman
Department of Agricultural Statistics, BAU,Mymensingh

M. S. Islam
Department of Agricultural Economics, BAU, Mymensingh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

This study was aimed at estimating the impacts of changing land use patterns on food security for the farm households in Bangladesh. It was based on primary data collected from 730 households of different farm categories with direct interview method, which covered 14 existing most important land use patterns. The study revealed that households of alternate shrimp (bagda) and rice farming consumed the highest amounts of food followed by year round shrimp (bagda) farming whereas the highest per capita calorie intake was observed in households of alternate rice and wheat production. But households of year round shrimp (bagda) farming generated the highest amount of income followed by households of alternate shrimp (bagda) and rice farming, year round banana production and year round floriculture, respectively. But there were no systematic and regular patterns of relationships among income, food, protein and calorie intakes in different land use patterns. Large households consumed the highest amount of food and protein followed by medium, small and marginal households, respectively. All the land use patterns were found to increase major food security indicators and reduced poverty. All the 14 land use patterns should be made sustainable to the farmers by properly addressing environmental factors and by easing access of farmers to inputs and outputs markets by the government.

Keywords: Food security, Nutritional status, Land use pattern.

Location: Mymensingh, Jessor, Pabna, and Tangail

Start Date: 00-00-2012

End Date: 00-00-2012

Program Area: Food Safety and Security

Commodity: Land management

Objectives:

1. This study aimed at estimating the impacts of major land use patterns on nutritional status and food security in Bangladesh. In relation to the implications of land use patterns, changed socioeconomic factors (indicators) and possession of different livelihood assets may have an effect on food security and its sustainability.

Methodology:

Sources of Data: This study was based on primary data collected from 730 farm households practicing 14 major land use patterns with the direct interview method. Data were collected with pre-tested structured questionnaires by trained enumerators in eight districts of Bangladesh. The questionnaires covered a wide range of questions relating to production, consumptions, land use patterns and all types of food security indicators. Tables 1 and 2 show the sampling design and major crops grown by farm households. Selected farm households constituted four categories of farmers, namely marginal, small, medium and large farmers and the selection of sample households was done by stratified random sampling procedure. Some farmers in Mymensingh, Jessor, Pabna, and Tangail districts have converted their land to practice rice-fish farming, alternate rice-vegetables and alternate rice-pulse (khesari) and year round banana production, respectively. In Rangpur and Dinajpur, many farmers used their crop land for producing alternate rice- potato, rice- wheat and rice- maize. Similarly, farmers in Jessore district produce alternate prawn (golda)- rice farming. On the other hand, in coastal areas mainly in Khulna regions, large areas of cropped land shifted to brackish water aquaculture especially shrimp (bagda) production. Analysis of Data: Both descriptive and functional analyses were carried out in this study. As descriptive statistics, some tabular analysis, average, percentage, ratios, standard deviations, etc were calculated. Item wise food consumption was converted into calorie and protein intake by using conversion factor7. Poverty was assessed Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) method4. There are several measures of poverty, all of them belonging to the so-called Foster-Greer Thorbecke (FGT) poverty indices2. The Direct Calorie Intake (DCI) is one of the measures of poverty. The threshold per capita per day calorie intake is 2122 k.cal. A person, whose daily calorie intake is less than 2122 k.cal. is considered to be in the 'Absolute Poverty'. Similarly, a person having daily calorie intake less than 1805 k.cal, is considered to be in the 'Hard Core Poverty'. Food consumption and nutritional status of farm household and socioeconomic factor influencing sustainability of food security for targeted farm households were clarified in respect of different categories of farm households under 14 land use patterns. Secondly, for consumption and calorie intake, functional analysis was employed to determine the parameters of food consumption and calorie intake of selected farm households. Determining Parameters of Food Consumptions and Calorie Intake: For determining the factors that influence the food consumption and calorie intake, Cobb-Douglas type functions in double-log forms were employed. Normally functions in double-log forms give better results than other functional forms since transformation of variables ensures validity of normality assumptions. Separate models were fitted for food consumption and calorie intake in which food consumption and calorie intake were considered as dependent variables, and education of farm households’ head, respective land use patterns, main occupation of households head, farm size, family size, households’ income and age group of family members were considered as independent variables. Along with the estimated parameters, standard errors of individual coefficients were estimated. Besides, F statistic was calculated to show the goodness of fit of data with different independent variables. Theoretical model for food consumption: ln Food consumption = β0 + β1 Edn + β2 land use dummy + β3 occupation dummy + β4 ln farm size + β5 ln family size + β6 ln income + β7ln No. of family members between certain age groups + u. Theoretical model for calorie intake: ln calorie intake = β0 + β1 Edn + β2 land use dummy + β3 occupation dummy + β4 ln farm size + β5 ln family size + β6 ln income + β7 ln No. of family members between certain age groups + u.

Source of Information: Bangladesh Journal of Nutrition. Vol. 24-25 December, 2011-2012.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This study covered 14 most important land use patterns, which the farm households have been practicing for several years. The study showed that farm households practicing alternate shrimp (bagda) and rice farming consumed the highest amount of food followed by year round shrimp (bagda) farming whereas the calorie intake was the highest for households of alternate rice and wheat production followed by alternate shrimp (bagda) and rice farming. But income of farm households of year round shrimp (bagda) farming was the highest followed by households practicing alternate shrimp (bagda) and rice farming, year round banana production and year round floriculture, respectively. But there were no systematic and regular pattern of relationships among income, food intake, protein intake and calorie intake in different land use patterns. Large farm households were found to consume the highest amounts of food and protein followed by medium, small and marginal farm households respectively at the aggregate level. Farm households of all land use patterns consumed higher amount of food, protein and calorie than the national average. These land use patterns reduced income poverty although the country’s average poverty level has been increasing because of the prices hikes of essentials for the last few years. The farm households’ food was dominated by rice followed by potato, milk, fish and leafy vegetables respectively and rice ensured more calorie followed by potato, fish and soybean oil respectively to the farm households. All land use patterns except year round shrimp (bagda) farming are environmental friendly. There are some critiques about practicing year round shrimp (bagda) farming that it deteriorates resources, reduces biodiversity and hampers environment by increasing salinity in the soil. This land use pattern should be made sustainable by properly addressing the environmental factors and reducing adverse effects arising from producing shrimp by the government. Since other 13 land use patterns are environmental friendly, these patterns should be made sustainable to the farmers by putting interventions in the inputs and outputs markets by the government. Acknowledgment

Knowledge Management: Journal