CHANGE IN CROPPING PATTERNS AND ITS IMPACTS ON FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD IN SOME SELECTED AREAS OF MYMENSINGH DISTRICT

Abstract

The study analyzes the change of cropping patterns and its impacts on farmer’s livelihood using farm level survey data. The study reveals that four cropping patterns such as P1 (Boro rice – Fallow - T. Aman rice); P2 (Brinjal -T. Aman rice – Fallow); P3 (Boro rice - T. Aman – Fallow) and P4 (Bean – Fallow - T. Aman rice). It was evident from the study that the cropping pattern P2 (Brinjal - T. Aman rice – Fallow) earned the highest profit among the selected cropping patterns. The results also indicate that the human capital increased 59.33, 68.00 and 65.33 percent; social capital increased 48.88, 52.22 and 57.77 percent as well as physical capital increased 48.00, 67.78 and 86.11 percent of the marginal, small and medium farmers respectively due to change in cropping patterns and their productivity. This study also reports that natural capital and financial capital also increased for marginal, small and medium farmers.