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Farmers' attitudes towards sustainable agriculture issues and environmental quality in a selected area of Bangladesh

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

M. Z. Rahman  and
H. Mikuni
M. Z. Rahman
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor in the Dept of Agric. Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.
H. Mikuni
Affiliation:
Professor and Dean, Faculty of Applied Biological Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi Hiroshima, Japan.
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Abstract

The sustainability issues associated with agricultural development are a growing concern worldwide. This study focussed on farmers' attitudes about environmental degradation and long term productivity loss that may result from implementation of modern agricultural technologies. The study was conducted in a selected area of Bangladesh and field level data were collected from the sampled farmers through personal interviewing. Findings revealed that more than two-thirds of the farmers confronted either a medium or high level of environmental problems due to intensive cultivation. Their main concerns were stress on soil fertility, loss of essential aquatic life, and reduction of earthworms and other beneficial organisms in soil. The farmers' recommended solutions were production of high yielding crop varieties with conservation management practices, and the balanced use of chemical fertilizers and organic manures. To apply these techniques, the top expectation of the farmers was to receive subsidies for agricultural inputs, and get easy-term credit from the government or non-government organizations. Interestingly, just half the farmers in the study area possessed a less than favorable attitude towards sustainability issues of agricultural development. In other words, to them these issues were of low or marginal priority. Only 6% of them expressed a highly favorable attitude (high priority) and 44% expressed a moderate attitude. Based on correlations, the individual farmer's age, education, family size, organizational participation, television exposure, communication behavior and environmental problem confrontation were identified as the main determinants of their attitudes about sustainability issues. Hence, these factors should be considered when formulating programs and policies for agriculture development that aim for long-term sustainability.

Keywords

agricultural developmentenvironmental degradationproductivity loss
Type
Articles
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , March 1999 , pp. 22 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

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