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Efficient Management of Farm Resources and Food Consumption Level of Pond Fishers in North-central Bangladesh

Md. Abdul Quddus
Department of Agricultural Statistics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Khondakar Md. Mostafizur Rahman
Department of Agricultural Statistics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Shishir Kumar Sen
Department of Agricultural Statistics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Md. Abu Shama
Department of Agricultural Statistics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was conducted to assess the efficient management of farm resources of pond fish farmers and the level of their household food consumption in order to deal with sustainable development of the pond culture system and food security issues. Three unions out of 9 in Melandah Upazila of Jamalpur district were selected, as a large number of ponds are available. Sixty fish farmers were randomly selected from the population of 200. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from January to March 2017. Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function and technical inefficiency effect model were used to assess efficient management of farm resources. Also, multiple regression models in double-log forms were employed to determine the factors influencing households’ per capita food consumption, calorie intake and protein intake. Gross return and net profits were $8,081 and $2,262 respectively and the cost-benefit ratio was 1.39. Technical inefficiency estimates show that farmers’ education (0.0009) and training (0.0042) had an insignificant but positive sign for fish production. Experience (-0.0083) and culture period (-0.0054) had a significant and negative sign and the age of farmers has insignificant negative sign indicated that technical efficiency increased with the increase in experience and fish culture period. The mean efficiency was 0.92 in fish farming indicates 8% of fish production could be increased with the existing resources and available technology. Per capita per day food consumption was 1288.36 g, calorie intake 2592.23 k. calorie and protein intake 84.27 gram. A linkage between Upazila Fisheries Officer, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, fisheries extension workers, and pond fish farmers should be established. Calorie and protein intake of the farm households is higher due to the increase of food sufficiency of the country and buying capacity of the farmers but the nutritional wellbeing of them is still low.

Keywords: Pond fisheries; Cost-return; Efficient management; Frontier analysis; Food consumption

Location: Melandah upazila of Jamalpur district, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-01-2017

End Date: 00-03-2017

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Socio-economic status

Objectives:

To assess the socio-economic profile of pond fish farmers, estimate the productivity and farm-specific efficiency, and determine the factors influencing fishers’ household food consumption.

Methodology:

Melinda Upazila in Jamalpur district was selected for the study. There are nine unions in this Upazila out of which three unions (Ghosherpara, Mahmudpur, and Nangla) were selected purposively as a large number of ponds are available there for fish culture. The selection was done on the basis of suggestions made by the Upazila Fisheries Officer. An updated list of all the pond fish farmers in the selected unions was collected with the help of the Upazila Fisheries Officer. There were 200 fish farmers as a population of the study. A total of 60 fish farmers (30% of the population) were selected as respondents using the random sampling method. A structured questionnaire was prepared considering all the objectives of the study. Data were collected from January to March 2017 by the researchers. During the interview, every respondent was given a brief introduction about the nature and purpose of the study. The questions were asked systematically in a very simple manner with explanations wherever they were felt necessary and the answers were recorded on the schedules. The collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel and analyses were carried out using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version-16. The cost incurred for fingerlings, manure cum fertilizers (lime, manure, urea and TS), feed, labor (hired), utility (maintenance, lime cost, transportation cost, etc.) were considered as a variable cost. The expenses on primary preparation of pond, depreciation of farm tools, and machinery were included under fixed cost. The total cost of production was calculated by summing the total variable cost and total fixed cost incurred in the production process. Gross return = Total price of fish produced (the price of consumed fish and price of selling fish). Net return was calculated by deducting the total cost from the gross return. The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) was calculated by dividing gross return by total cost. On the basis of the amount of food consumption by the respondents and their family members, per capita calorie and protein intakes were measured by the direct calorie intake (DCI) method estimates. In this method, the food consumed during the last seven days in a household was first averaged. Afterward, the amount of daily per capita food intake was converted into daily per capita calorie intake. Food conversion ratios were used to convert different food items into calorie and protein intakes. Total calorie intake was derived from the total consumption of food for all food items and total protein intake was derived from the total consumption of food for all items. In order to estimate the level of technical efficiency with the theory of production function, a Cobb-Douglas type of stochastic production function was specified having some well-known properties that justify its wide application in economic literature. Stochastic frontiers model for the technical inefficiency effect and simultaneously estimate all the parameters involved in the model. The Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function was used to analyze the productivity and resource use efficiency of pond fishes to provide an adequate representation of production technology.

Source of Information: Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research- 13(3): 35-46, 2020

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: 10.9734/AJAAR/2020/v13i330107

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Pond fish culture in Bangladesh has become a stable economic activity of rural people. It helps the increase of income, food consumption, and calorie and protein intake. Efficient management of farm resources in the production process increases fish production with the available inputs and existing technology. That is, at least 8 percent of fish production can be increased by increasing the technical efficiency only without increasing the use of inputs with existing technology. Age and experience of fish farmers and culture period increase the technical efficiency. Farmers can further increase fish production if they are well trained about pond fish culture. Upazila Fisheries Officer, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, and fisheries extension workers should provide proper guidelines and arrange training programs for the pond fish farmers. Household income and land size increase food consumption and fish consumption increase the protein intake significantly. Fish production and consumption increase the food security of people. However, the nutritional wellbeing of the fish farmers is still low because of insufficient access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Government intervention and nutrition education of people will ameliorate the food security scenarios of people.

Knowledge Management: Journal