Causes and Consequences of Changing Cropping Pattern in Khulna District

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to identify the changes in cropping pattern that has been occurred during the last 40 years as well as the farmers’ perceptions regarding the causes and consequences of changing cropping patterns. The relationships between some of the selected characteristics of the farmers’ and their perception regarding the causes and consequences of changing cropping patterns were explored. To fulfill the objectives data were collected from ramdomly selected 130 farmers of Batiaghata and Dumuri Upazilla of Khulna district. Data were collected during 01 May, to 07 July, 2008 by the researcher himself following several methods like personal interview, focus group discussion, field observation and systematic study of available records and browsing internet. A remarkable change in cropping pattern during the last five decades was observed. In the study area, a total of 15 cropping patterns were identified over the times out of which 2 cropping patterns were 4-cropped, 3 were 3-cropped, 8 were 2-cropped and 2 were single cropped cropping patterns. Most dominant cropping pattern was single T. Aman – fallow. About 40 years ago, in the study area as observed, a total of 5 cropping patterns was practised. From the year 1967 – 1975 the polderization/embankment was made. From that time the number of cropping patterns was increased gradually. Before 30 years ago, a total of 6 cropping patterns were practised. About 15 years ago, gher was started in most of the study area and after that time a dramatical change was taken place in changing cropping pattern was observed in the study area. After starting gher, a total of 14 cropping patterns were practised in 15 years ago. But now-a-days, with a slight decrease i.e., 13 cropping patterns were observed to be continued. In both case, most of the observed cropping patterns were found in low land (11 cropping patterns in 15 years ago and 9 cropping patterns in present status) and a majority was observed in medium high land and very low land. In both cases, a 1 – cropped cropping pattern (fallow – aman – fallow) was found to be the most dominant in all types of land topography and a 4 – cropped cropping pattern [gher (vegetables) – fallow – aman – boro] the second dominant mainly in medium high land and low land. In the study area, yield of different crops was found to increase with temporal variation. Farmers were generally found to practise traditional cultivation and post harvest technologies. Most of farmers had high perception (83%) followed by medium perception (17%) regarding the causes of changing cropping pattern as well as high perception (90%) followed by medium perception (10%) regarding consequences of changing cropping pattern. Among the selected 14 causes of changing cropping patterns, the most important one was dependence on staple food while the least important one was starting of orchard as addressed by the respondents. Among the selected 7 consequences of changing cropping patterns, the most important one was the livelihood of people is increase due to high income from unit area of land while the least important one was introduction of mechanized cultivation. Among the selected characteristics of the respondents, none of the selected characteristics showed any significant relationship with the perception regarding causes of changing cropping patterns while only education showed a positive and significant relationship with the perception regarding consequences of changing cropping patterns.