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Using national representative cross‐sectional data from 8846 rice growing plots in Bangladesh, we analyze the impact of social safety net programs (SSNPs) on rice farmers' productivity and efficiency. This study applied the propensity score matching (PSM) approach to correct the possible self‐selection biases arising from observed and unobserved factors affecting a household's SSNP participation decisions. The stochastic frontier production function is estimated separately for participants and non‐participants to compare yield and technical efficiency. Our results show that the output elasticities of all inputs except land and fertilizer are significantly higher for non‐participants than participants. The SSNP participants are estimated to have 1.95% higher technical efficiency than the non‐participants, while their frontier yield is 11.75% higher. The average treatment effect on treated (ATET) also confirms the yield and efficiency‐enhancing role of SSNPs, particularly in climate‐stressed areas. The study argues for widening the SSNP coverage to increase the marginal farmers' efficiency in climate‐vulnerable areas. Other policy interventions include policies to increase farmers' access to land through the proper functioning land market, education, providing literacy training, and different production inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines level, inequality, and change in women's empowerment in agriculture and its impact on crop productivity and efficiency using a nationally representative Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS) of 5,780 and 6,195 households from the same villages in Bangladesh in 2012 and 2015 conducted by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Results reveal that although women's empowerment score increased significantly from 0.64 to 0.73 between 2012 to 2015, only the top 40 per cent of households have an adequate level of women's empowerment in agriculture, that is, scored above the threshold level of 0.80. The gender-gap in empowerment also reduced significantly from 0.23 to 0.20 during the same period. Female labour input significantly increases productivity. Both women's empowerment in agriculture and a reduction in the gender-gap in empowerment significantly increase production efficiency as expected. Efficiency is significantly lower in the Feed the Future Zone. However, female labour use and female education significantly reduce efficiency although the effects are relatively small. The findings argue for policies specifically targeting women to enhance women's empowerment in agriculture and reduce the gender-gap in empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assessed agricultural sustainability in South Asia (i.e., Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Nepal) by computing multi-lateral multi-temporal Total Factor Productivity (TFP) indices and their six finer components (technical change, technical-, scale- and mix-efficiency changes, residual scale and residual mix-efficiency changes) and examined the role of capital in driving TFP growth covering a 34-year period (1980–2013). Results revealed that all countries sustained agricultural productivity growth at variable rates with Bangladesh experiencing highest rate estimated @1.05% p.a. followed by India (0.52%), Pakistan (0.38%) and Nepal (0.06% p.a.). There were little or no variation in technical and scale efficiency changes among the countries. However, residual scale efficiency increased @0.44% p.a. in Bangladesh, 0.12% p.a. in Pakistan, remained unchanged in India and declined −0.39% p.a. in Nepal. Similarly, mix efficiency increased @0.44% in Bangladesh, remained unchanged in India and declined @−0.12% p.a.in Pakistan and −0.39% p.a. in Nepal. The major drivers of agricultural TFP growth were the levels of natural, human and technology capital endowments whereas financial capital and crop diversification had opposite effects. Policy implications include land and tenurial reforms aimed at consolidating farm operation size and smooth operation of the land rental market to improve natural capital, investments in education to improve human capital and agricultural R&D to enhance technology capital in order to boost agricultural productivity growth in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study identifies the drivers of production and technical efficiency in onion cultivation based on a survey of 300 farmers from three different major onion growing districts in Bangladesh by applying a stochastic production frontier approach. Results reveal that land is the most important driver of production (elasticity value 0.33) followed by labour (0.24) and seed (0.18). Use of modern seed significantly improves production. A constant returns to scale exists in onion production. The mean technical efficiency is estimated at 67% implying that output can be increased substantially by 49% by eliminating inefficiencies in production. Extension contact, use of recommended dose of fertilizers and non-agricultural income significantly improve technical efficiency. Efficiency is significantly higher for owner operators and diversified farms. Policy implications include investments in extension services and land reform measures to improve land ownership in order to boost onion production in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers' input cost with respect to profit elasticities for livestock farming in two districts of Bangladesh were estimated using translog profit function analysis. The objective of study was to analyze livestock farmers' profit response. Research was conducted in Gazipur and Sirajgonj districts in the year of 2012. Result showed that for milk production labor was the most important input cost which effect profit elasticities compared to straw and other inputs. Sirajgonj profit is higher than Gazipur district by about 3.37 percent. Conversely, in case of egg production mixed feed was higher input cost compared to veterinary care cost which effect profit elasticities. Commercial farming profit was higher than that of traditional farming by about 0.95 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread adoption of an agricultural circular economy requires the recovery of resources such as water, organic matter, and nutrients from livestock manure and sanitation. While this approach offers many benefits, we argue this is not without potential risks to human and environmental health that largely stem from the presence of contaminants in the recycled resources (e.g., pharmaceuticals, pathogens). We discuss context specific challenges and solutions across the three themes: (1) contaminant monitoring; (2) collection transport and treatment; and (3) regulation and policy. We advocate for the redesign of sanitary and agricultural management practices to enable safe resource reuse in a proportionate and effective way. In populous urban regions with access to sanitation provision, processes can be optimized using emergent technologies to maximize removal of contaminant from excreta prior to reuse. Comparatively, in regions with limited existing capacity for conveyance of excreta to centralized treatment facilities, we suggest efforts should focus on creation of collection facilities (e.g., pit latrines) and decentralized treatment options such as composting systems. Overall, circular economy approaches to sanitation and resource management offer a potential solution to a pressing challenge; however, to ensure this is done in a safe manner, contaminant risks must be mitigated., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)