Abstract:
Executive Summary
Boro rice farming in the haor ecosystem of Bangladesh plays a crucial role ensure livelihood
for its dwellers as have no alternative. Traditional human-labour based manual rice
harvesting in this area was subjected to capital loss due to early flood, flash flood, heavy
rainfall, hailstorm, etc. To overcome these problems, mechanization in harvesting adopting
rice combine harvester (RCH) was inevitable and government of Bangladesh provides 70%
subsidy on purchasing these machines. This study aimed to explore the adoption patterns of
RCH, to estimate the profitability of rice cultivation with and without adoption of RCH,
drivers behind RCH adoption and to assess its’ welfare impact of in this wetland ecosystem.
For this study, primary data was collected from 3 out of 7 haor districts of Bangladesh. From
the study area, 300 boro rice farmers, 204 RCH adopters and 96 non-adopters, were selected
randomly and interviewed with structured questionnaire. Data were collected during AprilMay,
2023. To analyse and making inference, descriptive statistics, economic formula,
probit model and propensity score matching (PSM) model were used. RCH adopters were
younger and more educated, had more knowledge about combine harvesters’ benefits, had
larger farm and cultivated more in upland soil. Total cost of rice production significantly
differed (p<0.01) due to Tk. 7916.13/ha lower harvesting cost. It ensure significantly
(p<0.05) higher net return (Tk. 13266.40/ha) for the RCH adopters who earned Tk.
53424.31/ha compared to non-adopters (Tk. 40157.91/ha). Benefit cost ratio (BCR) was
significantly (p<0.05) higher for the adopters (1.47) than that of non-adopters (1.33). RCH
adoption was positively influenced by age, yield, rice cultivation in upland, timely
availability of RCH, repair service availability and perceived labour scarcity mitigation
capacity but negatively influenced by family labour used and grain & straw loss in field
during harvesting. RCH adoption positively impacted the reduction of cost of production and
human labour use and increase in net returns. This empirical study attempted to estimate
profitability, identify drivers and impact of RCH adoption in haor ecosystem in Bangladesh
for the first time. To reap the benefits of this mechanized harvesting, awareness development
programmes should be undertaken. Besides, light-weight, small and efficient RCH machine
should be developed and disseminated to remove land type barrier and grain loss during
harvesting. Timely availability of RCH and its’ repair service should be ensured. Innovating
year-round alternative use of RCH machine may faster its’ turn-over and make it more
profitable to its owners.
