Combined efforts of farmers, rice scientists, extension personnel and Government of Bangladesh have yielded clean rice growth rate of 0.34 million ton (MT) year -1 during 2009-10 to 2013-14 in the country. In 2014-15, the country acquired a rice surplus of about 2 MT. However, maintaining the current surplus of rice in the coming decades is a great challenge. Authentic estimation of future rice requirement and future resource availability would guide to way forward. This paper presents rice vision for Bangladesh leading to 2050 and beyond. In this study, secondary data from different government-owned statistics and research institutes were collected, analyzed and synthesized to develop models and/or model parameters to generate outputs such as future population, rice production and rice requirement. Population of Bangladesh will reach 215.4 million in 2050, when 44.6 MT of clean rice will be required. With the pace of rice-production-increase in the last five years, production can reach 47.2 MT, having a surplus of 2.6 MT in 2050. The study sets 2.6 MT as the target for clean rice surplus every year leading to 2050 and beyond. Several hurdles, such as increasing population, decreasing resources and increasing climate vulnerability, can hinder achieving the target. Three major interventions-accelerating genetic gain, minimizing yield gap and curtailing adoption lag-are proposed to break the barriers to achieve the target. Major challenges to implement the interventions include shrinking net cropped area, decreasing availability of irrigation water and increasing pressure on soil fertility. Smart technology such as, location specific variety, profitable cropping sequences, innovative cultural management, and mechanization coupled with smart dissemination using multiple means would ease production barriers. We recommend a number of measures, such as, guaranteeing a minimum cropped area, accelerating the rate of genetic gain in varietal development and intensifying collaboration among the stakeholders to reduce adoption lag of newly released promising rice varieties, to achieve the rice vision of Bangladesh leading to 2050 and beyond.

Agricultural land use and distribution of cultivated crops expressed in cropping pattern (CP) constitute the base for increasing produtivity. An in-depth study was conducted on the existing CPs of Bangladesh in each and every upazila (sub-districts) using semi structured questionnaire and data validation by the stakeholder consultation workshop conducted in each of 64 districts. Three hundred and sixteen CPs were identified throughout Bangladesh excluding the very minor ones. Topmost five CPs were only rice containing CPs, which covered 51% of the net cropped area. The most dominant CP was Boro- Fallow-T. Aman covering 27% of net cropped area. Results on major cropwise CPs, location-wise CPs, CP diversity and crop diversity etc are also presented herein.Bangladesh Rice j. 2017, 21(2): 1-55

The present investigation was carried out to assess the livelihood status of the fish farmers in Hamirkutsha and Kamarbari Unions of Bagmara upazilla under Rajshahi district during June to December 2006. Data were collected through the use of well structured questionnaire. Fifty farmers were included in this study who were directly involved in fish farming. Average pond size was 0.13 ha with single (64%) and multiple ownerships (36%). Most of the fishers were belonged to the age category of 31 to 40 years and average education level of 9.86 years of schooling, represented by 94% Muslims and 6% Hindus. About 54% of the farmers have tinshed house while 26, 14 and 6% of the farmers have half-building, building and kacha house, respectively. Average annual incomes of majority of fish farmers were above Tk. 75,000 per annum and 62% of the farmers used semi-pucca sanitary, 28% used pucca sanitary while only 10% used katcha sanitary. About 62% of the farmers had electricity facilities while 38% did not have and 88% of the farmers used own tube-well, while 12% of the farmers used neighbor's tube-well. Forty six percent of the farmers received health service from village doctor or kobiraj, 18% have access to upazila health complex, 14% went to district hospital, 20% consulted with MBBS doctor and 2% of the farmers do not take any treatment due to lack of money. Lack of scientific knowledge, multiple ownerships and lack of capital for fish culture were the major constraints. Keywords: Constraints; Fish farmers; Health service; Livelihood status DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v6i2.4836 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 6(2): 367-374, 2008

The study was conducted to measure the contribution of women to their household income, to analyze the pattern of women’s participation in decision making process, their perceptions and impact of income on decision making process. The study was carried out at three villages of Mymensingh Sadar Upazila. Data were collected from 50 rural households by random sampling technique with a structured questionnaire. The obtained data were analyzed by using tabular and different statistical techniques. The results of the study showed that the pattern of women’s contribution to household income has been changed. In the study area, women were participating in various income generating activities such as crop production, post-harvest activities, poultry rearing, management of livestock and fisheries, etc. Male and female rendered their involvement in income generating activities for 220 man-days and 204 man-days per year, respectively. The average annual women’s contribution to household income was estimated at Tk. 42000 per year which was about 43.52 percent of the total household income. The multiple regression analysis showed that women’s income was positively related with women’s education and farm size but negatively related with age, family size and indebtedness. A logistic regression analysis showed that women’s participation in decision making process was negatively related with family size, but positively related with respondent’s age, education, farm size, income and occupation. Women rendered a great deal of contribution in making decision on post-harvest operation, management of production activities, selling of crops, rearing poultry, goat and cattle, purchasing of agricultural inputs, etc. To reduce their economic, social and political constraints, the study suggested providing logistic supports such as health care facility, credit facility, input supply, agricultural extension services, need-based training, etc. in order to increase their participation in income generating activities and different household decision making events.Progressive Agriculture 28 (2): 120-129, 2017

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A study was conducted to determine the impact of pineapple cultivation on the income of pineapple growers of Madhupur upazila under Tangail District. The study also aimed at exploring the relationship between the selected characteristics of the respondents and their increased income from unit area. The study was conducted during the month of March and April, 2007. Seventy five respondents were selected as the sample for the study by using simple random sampling technique. Most of the respondents were middle aged (49.3%), had primary level of education (56%), possessed medium farm (57.3%) and small family size (85.3%). The respondents had medium organizational participation (65.3%) and medium extension contact (83.1%). It was found that most of the respondents had sufficient knowledge on pineapple cultivation along with favorable attitude towards pineapple cultivation. Kachu (Colocasia esculenta), turmeric (Curcuma longa), ginger (Zingiber officinale), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) etc were the major crops used as intercrops with pineapple for proper utilization of land and higher economic return. It was also found from the study that most of the respondents belonged to the higher (54.7%) income category as their average increased income was 146.72 thousand taka per annum.

Rice False Smut (RFSm) is presently an internationally important fungal disease of rice. While the Yield Loss (YL) from this disease is reported in many countries, there exists no tool to instantly estimate the YL by visual field inspection. This study developed a simple model, FLYER, for this purpose. The model is run by two inputs: (i) fraction of productive but diseased tillers in a field and (ii) averaged number of smut balls present in the diseased panicles. FLYER was developed using data from Bangladesh, India and Japan. The driving algorithm of the model, the yield reduction in a diseased panicle as a function of number of smut balls present in the panicle, was validated with additional data from Bangladesh and Japan. When tested with independent data from fields infected naturally by RFSm, FLYER closely estimated the Yield Loss (YL, %) against observed datasets from Bangladesh (Root Mean Squared Deviation (RMSD) = 1.15% YL), Egypt (RMSD = 1.65% YL) and India (RMSD = 1.68% YL). This model could contribute to rapid assessment of regional and variety-specific yield loss and strategic management of the disease on a field-by-field basis.

When differences are observed between genotypes in their response to low temperatures at germination, it has been generally assumed these are purely genetic. Laboratory experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of physiological age on the temperature responses of 13 rice genotypes from Bangladesh in order to clarify whether (a) differences in seed germination at low temperature represented genetic differences or differences in the physiological state of the particular seed lot used and (b) whether genotype performance at higher temperatures was indicative of performance at lower temperatures. A higher initial seed moisture content (mc) was associated with lower initial viability (Ki). The base temperature for germination differed by less than 1 °C between genotypes. Seeds remaining ungerminated at low temperatures usually germinated when transferred to 21 °C. The thermal time requirement to reach t50 (θ) differed widely between genotypes. Lower optimum temperatures for germination were associated with lower thermal time requirements. Ageing seeds for 24 hours at 24 % mc and 45 °C significantly reduced final germination on a thermal gradient table at all temperatures below 20.8 °C in genotype BR29 but only below 16.5 °C in BR11. The rates of germination (seeds d−1) of aged seeds were also lower at all temperatures. Germination of high quality seeds of four genotypes were compared at 21 °C and 11 °C both before and after ageing (at 24 % mc and 45 °C). Ageing consistently reduced the rates of germination at both 21 °C and 11 °C. Increased ageing time progressively reduced the rate of germination of all seed lots at both temperatures. The rates of germination at 11 °C and 21 °C were positively and significantly (p < 0.01) related to final germination at the lower temperature of 11 °C. These results demonstrate that seed physiological quality as well as genotype might influence the final germination and rate of germination of rice genotypes at low temperatures. This information will be useful for breeders involved in selection of lines suitable for growing in cooler seasons.