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Education Status of the Farmer and the Probability of Getting Extension Service: an Endeavour Toward the Sustainable Agriculture in Bangladesh

Noor-E-Sabiha
Department of Economics, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Md. Elias Hossain
Department of Economics, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study measures the probability of receiving agricultural extension services with respect to the level of farmers’ rudimentary literacy, primary and secondary level of education, by utilizing survey data from 18 Unions in three agro-ecological regions of Northern Bangladesh. The econometric analysis is based on the application of qualitative response approach, the Logit model, explaining the probability of the educated farmers’ agricultural extension contact for improving their knowledge regarding input utilization and resource allocation decision. Application and utilization of farm inputs, involved in modern agriculture, such as chemical fertilizer, pesticide, irrigation, mechanized power tillers etc, requires intensive supervision, understandings, awareness and overall technological training supplied by the agricultural extension services. The study, therefore, reveals that the farmers with comparatively higher level of education generally keep a frequent contact with the agriculture extension service center for the betterment of their yield and the conservation of their fixed inputs like land and water than the other farmers possessing a lower level of educational status. Therefore, efforts to raise farmers’ educational status are expected to boost up productivity accruing from an environment-friendly modern agriculture.

Keywords: Agricultural Extension Service, Farmers’ Rudimentary Education, Education Status, Environmental Awareness, Sustainable Agriculture

Location: Rajshahi, Natore and Naogaon district, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Non-commodity: Education

Objectives:

The specific study objectives are, therefore: I. To measure the farmers’ likelihood of getting agricultural extension service, who have basic education and the rate of change of such probability with respect to their subsequent level of education. II. To explore the way to capture the optimum benefit of agricultural extension service and to make the farmers more meticulous of using farm chemical inputs and mechanized equipment. III.To suggest some suitable policy measures with a view to install an environment friendly sustainable agriculture in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

Study Area and the Data: This study is mainly based on cross-section primary data. As a whole, a total of 180 farms have been chosen through a purposive random sampling procedure from three northern districts of Bangladesh. For this purpose, 60 farm holders from each of the Rajshahi, Natore and Naogaon district, having more cultivable lands, fertilized area, and having a greater proportion of net irrigated area have been selected as respondents. The purpose of selecting these districts is to have some significant data with respect to our present study, since the Rajshahi division is one of the most important Northwestern agro-ecological zones and it is the most substantial agricultural area. Especially rice cultivation is a leading item as the soil type is very suitable for this type of grain cultivation. For the collection of data a well-structured questionnaire, on the basis of the research questions inherent in the research objectives, has been prepared. Accordingly, personal interviews, field visits and prepared questionnaires were used to collect information on many dimensions of farmer’s socio-economic status such as their level of education defined by schooling years, the experience of modern HYV rice cultivation, and access to agricultural extension service, agricultural training status and their perceptions on agriculture-environment issues. Specification of the Empirical Model: It is so far evident from the literature that the probability of getting agricultural extension services is more, if the farmers are comparatively more educated. The farmers holding a higher level of schooling years are expected to maintain a frequent contact with the agricultural extension service center than those having zero schooling years or considered as uneducated farmers. It can therefore be inferred that there exist a relationship between these two events: farmers’ education (defined by their schooling years) and their likelihood of receiving agricultural extension service for the betterment of their agriculture. The data collected from surveys provide us with count events which are not continuous phenomenon, rather discrete phenomenon. Such qualitative phenomenon can be expressed well by a qualitative response model, as it accounts the preponderance of zeros and small values and discrete nature of the dependent variable. This type of model poses interesting estimation and interpretation challenges for any qualitative response regression or probability problems. Data on several farmers grouped or replicated (repeated observations) according to the education level and the numbers of farmers getting agricultural extension services at each education level fits well with the GLOGIT (The Grouped Logit) model which takes into account all the qualitative response. Hence we have the following logit model Equation 1. L_i= In(P_i /1 - P_i ) = β1+β₂X_i + u_i (1). Where, L_i = the logit, expressing the probability in favour of agricultural extension contact, X_i = no. farmers having specified schooling years defining their education level, P_i = the probability of agricultural extension contact, u_i = Stochastic error term. The Equation 1 is fitted with the collected data from the respondent farmers by using weighted least squares (WLS) to resolve the problem of heteroscedasticity.

Source of Information: International Journal of Agricultural Economics; 2017; 2(2): 42-49; Vol. 2, No. 2, 2017, pp. 42-49.

Article Link (Online Journal): doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20170202.13

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Farmers having at least primary or secondary level of education can certainly play a vital role in maximizing agricultural productivity and can cause minimum agricultural negative externality. This is because the educated farmers only can feel the advantages of getting agricultural extension services, receive those services and, practice their crop cultivation technique following the instructions and training provided by the extension officer. As a result, they can make themselves potential farmers in one hand and on the other hand they can keep their soil healthy and conserve the water resource available for cultivation. Our study reveals this fact well. Considering the rapid changes in agricultural technology and the changing structure of the farms, agricultural educators need to reassess their role and responsibility in the planning and delivery for beginning farmers’ education. The policy should be constructed ensuring food security and ensuring a damage-free environment. However, it is difficult to ensure damage-free intensive agricultural activity but lowering environmental damage could be possible by controlling farmers’ activity through their education with the help of appropriate policy structure.

Knowledge Management: Journal