Study on tobacco cultivation and its impacts on health and environment at Kushtia, Bangladesh

Karim, Robiul; Nahar, N.M.; Shirin, Tahmina; Rahman, M. A.

doi:10.18801/jbar.080216.89

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Moreover, the study was of very small scale. A more recent study by Karim et al [ 17 ] attempted to understand the health and environmental impacts while Kutub & Falgunee [ 18 ] discussed about environmental degradation. All of these studies are mostly exploratory and are of very small scale.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The detrimental effects of tobacco use on human health and the economic cost of tobacco-related illnesses in Bangladesh is well documented [ 2 ]. However, there is lack of robust scientific research on the measurement of the economic cost of tobacco farming including its environmental and opportunity costs, except for some small scale and less rigorous studies [ 17 , 18 , 20 ]. Moreover, most of the previous studies carried out in Bangladesh have failed to take into account all dimensions of environmental impacts as well as the implicit costs (e.g., unpaid family labour) making the results less convincing, incomplete or underestimated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Economic Cost of Tobacco Farming in Bangladesh

Hussain

Rouf

Shimul

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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The extent of tobacco cultivation remains substantially high in Bangladesh, which is the 12th largest tobacco producer in the world. Using data from a household survey of current, former, and never tobacco farmers, based on a multi-stage stratified sampling design with a mix of purposive and random sampling of households, this study estimated the financial and economic profitability per acre of land used for tobacco cultivation. The environmental effects of tobacco cultivation on land and water resources were estimated using laboratory tests of sample water and soil collected from tobacco-cultivating and non-tobacco cultivating areas. The study finds that tobacco cultivation turns into a losing concern when the opportunity costs of unpaid family labour and other owned resources, and the health effects of tobacco cultivation are included. Tobacco cultivation poses a significantly high environmental cost that causes a net loss to society. Nevertheless, the availability of unpaid family labour and the options of advanced credit as well as a buy back guarantee from the tobacco companies attract farmers to engage in and continue tobacco cultivation. Therefore, supply side interventions to curb the tobacco epidemic in Bangladesh need to address major drivers of tobacco cultivation to correct the wrong incentives and motivate tobacco farmers to switch to alternative livelihood options.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%