The document analyzes homestead farming systems in South Bangladesh and West Bengal, India. It finds that homestead farming contributes significantly to household income and food consumption, providing over a third of income and meeting food needs. However, homestead productivity is challenged by lack of land and resources, as well as high soil salinity in some areas. The study identifies a need to improve homestead farming practices and develop saline-tolerant crop varieties to enhance food security and livelihoods in the vulnerable delta regions.
Homestead production systems: enhanced productivity for food security in South Bangladesh and West Bengal, India
1.
Homestead production systems:
enhanced productivity for food
security in South Bangladesh and
West Bengal, India
2. ! 35% and 34% of the rural population fell below the national
rural poverty line in 2010 in Bangladesh and India,
respectively
! 80% and 59% of farming households in Bangladesh and WB
having access to less than 0.5 ha of productive land
! Increase in food production in Ganges delta through
intensification for future food supply is crucial
! HFS have been promoted for income and home consumption
across the countries, less attention has been given to these
systems in more challenged coastal deltaic regions
! Much research has focused on field crops, but less on
homestead farming system.
Background with rationale
3. Objec'ves:
The
major
objec'ves
of
the
study
were
to
compare
between
southern
Bangladesh
and
West
Bengal
–
• socio-‐economy
• homestead
farming
systems
(HFS)
• HFS
contribu'on
to
household
income
&
consump'on
• iden'fy
priority
research
needs
4. Key research questions
1. Does
Homestead
Farming
System
contribute
to
food
security?
2. Is
there
any
links
between
increased
produc@on
and
consump@on?
3. Are
there
any
differences
between
SWB
and
WB
in
terms
of
HFS
and
associated
livelihoods
?
4.
Can
these
systems
be
further
improved
sustainably?
5. What
are
the
development
challenges
for
such
improvement?
6. Households surveyed
Country
Region
Water Salinity (ppt)
Number of households (HH)
Bangladesh
Polder 43
Low (00-05)
320
Polder 30
Moderate (00-10)
338
Polder 3
High (05-25)
461
Total
1,119
India
Block Kakdwip
Low (00-05)
120
Block Namkhana
Moderate (00-10)
120
Sandeshkhali I
Moderate (00-10)
120
Sandeshkhali II
Moderate (00-10)
120
Block Sagar
High (05-25)
240
Total
720
18. Key messages
! Increasing awareness on the importance of HFS for food and nutritional security in
West Bengal
! Focus more on creating aquaculture resources in Bangladesh (e.g. WISH Pond)
! Women can get more involved if we can make technology gender responsive
! Investment to develop production technologies with saline tolerant species is
needed in both countries
! Participatory action research is being carried out in both the countries to increase
productivity of HFS and develop local level innovation for farming system
intensification