A baseline assessment of farm, household, gender and socioeconomic attributes in Bangladesh

Abstract

"Launched in June 2022, the CGIAR Initiative on Securing the Food Systems of the Asian Mega-Deltas for Climate and Livelihood Resilience or the AMD Initiative forged partnerships with various stakeholders in the most threatened delta regions – the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) Delta, Irrawaddy Delta, and Mekong Delta. Several food systems innovations were co-developed and scaled with partners to enable resilient, inclusive, and productive deltas while maintaining socio-ecological integrity. To achieve these objectives using a holistic approach, the AMD operates within five work packages that tackle various food system components such as farming systems, nutrition and health, climate information, governance and development planning.

The baseline assessment aims to provide an overview of the agriculture and socio-economic conditions of select districts in Bangladesh in relation to farm-level AMD indicators that can later inform impact measurement. Particularly, the study seeks to capture socio-economic attributes of farming households, farming system dynamics, climate risk exposure and adaptation strategies and gender dimensions in farming and marketing among others. It hopes to present information that can inform the design, targeting, and scaling of research and food system transformation initiatives. The study employed a multistage sampling approach, using administrative data and selecting participants at district levels, focusing on three districts— Barguna, Patuakhali, and Khulna— to gather baseline information from 1,440 households. Data collection involved semi-structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews for primary and gender-focused surveys (targeting women) to obtain comprehensive insights on household socio-demographics, farm characteristics, agricultural practices, costs and production disposal, access to social networks and resources, climate change exposure, adaptation and perceptions, and gender-based differences in decision-making processes.

The study highlights the agroecological and socioeconomic diversity within the AMD coverage areas. Key findings indicate that households rely heavily on farming for their income with rice and mung beans being the dominant crops while livestock and aquaculture raising are evident. Productivity trends indicate that small farms outperform larger ones, with Boro rice yielding higher returns than Aman rice and mung bean farmers generating decent returns. Mechanization levels are nearly universal for land preparation but remain minimal for other activities like crop establishment and pest, disease and weed management. Mechanization opportunities in mung bean production remain underutilized. Climate risk exposures significantly affect production leading to substantial losses partly explained by low to non-adoption of climate adaptation and mitigation practices. Household and women's participation in community organizations and activities is notably low and access to support services is limited, posing challenges to achieving development objectives. Gender dynamics reveal the shift towards joint household decision making but traditional gender roles remain prevalent.

This baseline study reinstates the GBM delta's agricultural diversity, productivity, economy, and vulnerability to climate risks. Targeted interventions to enhance yield, diversify incomes, and build resilience among farming households are critical. The findings provide a valuable foundation for designing policies and initiatives to strengthen food security and livelihoods in the region."