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Association of sustainability agriculture and farming practices is somehow closely connected. There are necessary different farming practices for both adjusted and unadjusted PFSI measurement. The study observes practices of paddy farming and if farmers are practicing agriculture sustainably by estimating PFSI in three villages of Gutudia union. The objective is to spot the present agricultural practices and accessible sustainable practices, to examine the sustainability degree at field beneath the present paddy farming systems using PFSI and additionally to identify recommendations. The unit of analysis is 50 farmers and measured on a scale of 0 to 100 and also through Saltiel, Bauder, and Palakovich (1994) index. The results discovers that the average sustainability level which is presumably quite unsustainable this shows the necessity for more extension of correct practices. Chi-square analysis shows that the level of farmers’ awareness toward sustainable agriculture and positive attitude are considerably different with the level of PFSI.

The purpose of this study was to assess household’s agricultural vulnerability to climate induced disasters and to identify the indicators of adaptive capacity that determine the vulnerability of south-western coastal household’s in Bangladesh. The vulnerability was calculated by taking the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concept through an Agricultural Vulnerability Index (AVI). Then the ordered logit model was employed in order to identify key determinants of agricultural vulnerability to climate induced disasters. A survey of 346 household’s head from the two settlements (181 household’s head from Sutarkhali and 165 household’s head from Nalian) of Sutarkhali Union of Dacope Upazila under Khulna District was used in this study. Findings revealed that the mean score of Sutarkhali was 0.703 (high) in exposure, 0.724 (high) in sensitivity, 0.341 (low) in adaptive capacity and finally, the agricultural vulnerability index (AVI) was 0.695 (high). On the same fashion, Nalian was an average score of 0.697 (high) in exposure, 0.721 (high) in sensitivity, 0.386 (low) in adaptive capacity, and finally 0.677 (high) in agricultural vulnerability index (AVI). Annual savings, formal education, ownership of livestock, improved seeds supply, access to irrigation pump, improved crop diversification/ High Yielding Variety (HYV) crops, access to large farm size and access to farm credit were found to be statistically significant indicators of adaptive capacity that determine agricultural vulnerability of the both study sites. Finally it is recommended that the intervention required for coastal adaptation of agriculture should be initiated by respective authorities.

BACKGROUND: Mental health impacts due to COVID-19 outbreak are observable among university students. The aim of this research was to determine the mental health impacts of COVID-19 outbreak and associated drivers among university students in Bangladesh. METHODS: Across-sectional study was performed among 368 participants from Khulna University (Khulna-9208) in Bangladesh. Data were collected through an online self-reported questionnaire including demographic and selected characteristics of the participants, 7-item generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale to measure the prevalence of anxiety and 9-item patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) scale to measure the prevalence of depression. The ordered logit model was used to determine the associated drivers of anxiety and depression. RESULTS: The estimated prevalence rates of anxiety were 87%, among them 29.3%, 33.7%, and 23.9% had mild, moderate and severe, respectively. Accordingly, the estimated prevalence rates of depression were 81.5%, among them 25%, 23.9%, 20.1%, and 12.5% had mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe, respectively. The likelihood of anxiety and depression among participants has been mostly derived by residing urban area, not having stable family income, living with parents, having relatives or acquaintances infected with COVID-19, being worried about academic delays, and with the disruption of daily-life. CONCLUSIONS: University students are experienced a higher level of anxiety and depressive symptoms in Bangladesh. As the majority of students spend their time in social media during the quarantine, the implications of COVID-19 on mental health in this population can be reduced by means of online consultancy, campaigns and other awareness initiatives.