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Assessing the Effect of Arsenic Contamination on Modern Rice Production: Evidences from a Farm Level Study

M. Shahe Alam
Research Consultant,
Research Consultant, Research and Evaluation Division, BRAC, Mohakhali, Dhaka.

M. A. Islam
Senior Scientific Officer
Scientific Officer, Agricultural Economics Division, BRRI, Gazipur-1701

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The southeastern and southwestern parts of Bangladesh are naturally contaminated with arsenic exposing more than 30 million people to unsafe levels of this element in drinking water and potentially threatening rice production. A study was undertaken in three arsenic contaminated upazilas namely Kachua, Bhanga and Faridpur, aiming at understanding the possible negative effects of arsenic contamination on crop production. Sample survey was carried out to generate primary data. Two-stage sampling technique was followed in selecting the sample farms. Using Cobb-douglas yield function, productivity variability and the factors influencing level of productivity were identified. Analysis reveals that the share of agriculture income was higher for the farms under Bhanga (48%) compared to that under Kachua (46%). More than 70% of the sample households faced various arsenic related problems in rice production. Arsenic contamination resulted in less tillering, shorter plants, uneven plant growth and finally, decreased yield. Rice farmers adopted few practices for overcoming the problem, such as draining out of water from the rice fields, applying adequate fertilizers to the rice fields. Land degradation due to continued use of arsenic contaminated irrigation was reported. Due to the application of extra fertilizer and labour, the cost of modern Boro rice production in the more arsenic contaminated plots was 5% higher compared to that in less contaminated plots. Yields of MV (Modern variety) boro rice in more contaminated plots were significantly low resulting in lower gross return and profitability. Power tiller cost (a proxy for use of tiller), distance of plot from the STW, labour use, frequency of irrigation etc were the dominant determinants of MV Boro rice production in the sample arsenic prone areas.

Keywords: Effect, Arsenic contamination, Modern rice production

Location: Kachua upazila of Chandpur district, and Bhanga and Faridpur sadar upazila of Faridpur

Start Date: 00-11-2009

End Date: 00-06-2010

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Rice

Objectives:

1.To assess farmers’ perceptions about the level of arsenic contamination in rice production in the sampled areas of Bangladesh;

2 To understand the possible effect of arsenic contamination on crop production and estimate the productivity differences between contaminated and non-contaminated rice farms in the study areas,

3.To delineate farmers practices in overcoming the problem of arsenic contamination in crop production

Methodology:

Study area selection: The Soil Science, Irrigation & Water Management and Plant Breeding Divisions of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) carried out field experiments on the prevalence of arsenic in the irrigation water and crops in three selected locations of Bangladesh. The areas were Kachua upazila of Chandpur district, and Bhanga and Faridpur sadar upazila of Faridpur district. Based on the reports of earlier experiments, sample locations for the present socio-economic study were identified.Two villages under each of the above Upazila were selected for carrying out in-depth socio-economic survey. 2.2. Sampling and data Two-stage sampling procedure was followed in order to select the sample farms. At the first stage, two adjacent villages under each of the selected upazilas were identified purposively and then a comprehensive list of the rice producing farms in each village was prepared by taking help of Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer (SAAO) of the respective areas. At the second stage, the farms those used STWs for crop production were identified and out of them 50 farms under each village were selected following random sampling technique. Data were collected through directly interviewing the selected farmers using pre-designed questionnaire during November 2009 to June 2010. Collected data were scrutinized, edited and compiled using appropriate computer software.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Agric. Econs. XXXIV, 1&2 (2011) 15-28

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Farmers’ awareness and perceptions on arsenic contamination were assessed in the present study. It was evident that about 70% of the sample rice farmers under the arsenic prone areas were acquainted with various arsenic related problems in growing rice. Categorically the problems were: less tillering, shorter plants, red coloration of rice plants and canal, ununiform maturity, unfilled grains etc. These problems eventually resulted in reduction of rice yield. Rice farmers, however, adopted few practices to overcome the problem. The majority of the farms applied more gypsum and did mulching to the plots. Due to the application of extra fertilizer and additional labour, the cost of boro rice production for the arsenic affected plots was much higher compared to that of non-affected plots in all the locations. On an average the yield of Boro rice in more arsenic contaminated plots was 40-50% low compared to that of less arsenic contaminated plots.

Knowledge Management: Journal