Input output relationship under the different farming systems of Bangladesh

Important research findings from the three village studies may be summarized as follows, First rice triple-cropping has been operated since last 20 years in the areas with the use of modern or improved varieties. In other words the adoption of new rice technology centering around the use of improved seeds, fertilizers and pesticide began about 20 years ago, and now-a-days it is considered enough for the farmers to adapt themselves to the new method of rice cultivation. In the study area, however, in spite of adoption of improved seeds (improved local and high yielding variety). the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticide was limited to a small proportion of the large farmers. In the area different land types (high, medium and low land), prevail and the average size of holdings per household is very small. The level of cultivation technique was lower than the demonstration and research fields, which was clearly reflected in different levels of yield. Second, this difference in cultivation technique and resulting yield levels was considered mainly due to the difference in irrigation, the improved variety planted and general socio-economic conditions of the farmers in the area. Though the study villages are located in an important rice growing area of Bangladesh, but most of the farmers use irrigation water from a traditional irrigation method characterized by small-scale and poor engineering work. As a result the farmer's estimated yield per hectare was much lower than that of research or demonstration field. Third, the socio-economic differences among the villages were clearly reflected in land ownership pattern. On the other hand the level of input use and resulting yield/ha significantly varied among the village and farm size groups (small, medium and large)