Entrepreneurial approaches to climate-smart agriculture : insights from farmers in Bangladesh | |
| Author | Rahman, Mofasser |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AB-23-01 |
| Subject(s) | Climatic changes--Bangladesh Sustainable agriculture--Bangladesh Crops and climate |
| Note | A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agribusiness Management in Agribusiness Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The adoption of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is crucial for achieving rural growth and ecological sustainability goals, especially in developing countries, because climate change has a substantial negative impact on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and food security. The adoption rate of CSA is modest despite its potential to increase agricultural output and food security. While general issues with the low adoption of CSA have been examined in prior research, little has been discovered regarding the influence of farmers' cognitive attributes. The goal of this research is to determine the characteristics that influence the adoption of CSAs and to look at how farmer entrepreneurial orientation affects that adoption. To fulfill the objectives of the research, a survey was conducted on 439 sunflower farmers from the drought-prone Naogaon and saline-prone Borgona districts of Bangladesh. Descriptive statistics, the two-limit tobit model, and a number of multivariate probit models were used as statistical techniques to assess the degree of CSA practice adoption and decision-making. According to the findings, several factors such as gender, distance from the district headquarter, proximity to the nearest extension office, mobile phone availability, and severity of stress significantly affect the degree of CSA practices adoption. Additionally, it has become evident that the propensity for innovation has a negative impact on adoption of intercropping, whereas the propensity for risk-taking and proactiveness contribute to the acceptance of integrated pest management and crop rotation, respectively. The adoption of skilled labor-intensive and financial incentive CSA approaches, respectively, is found to be favorably influenced by the desire to be proactive and inventive while CSA practices are classified based on the key resources required. Conversely, adopting unskilled labor-intensive CSA techniques is negatively impacted by a willingness to take risks. Drawing on the results, it is recommended that agricultural extension services leverage contemporary communication technologies. Additionally, development practitioners and policy makers should take into account the interaction between farmer entrepreneurial orientation and CSA practices when designing interventions, policies, and strategies to promote and facilitate entrepreneurial behavior in the adoption of CSA practices. Understanding the cognitive attributes of farmers is important for promoting the adoption of CSA practices, and tailored interventions and policies that consider farmer entrepreneurial orientation are necessary for increasing adoption rates. |
| Year | 2023 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agribusiness Management (AB) |
| Chairperson(s) | Zulfiqar, Farhad |
| Examination Committee(s) | Tsusaka, Takuji W.;Datta, Avishek |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Bangabandhu Science and Technology Fellowship Trust, Bangladesh |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Am.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2023 |