Peer-review

Maize cropping has expanded rapidly during the last 15 years in Bangladesh because the crop growns well during the cool Rabi season and the financial returns are attractive. Expansion was helped by a large program of whole family training (WFT) between 2001 and 2006 exposed 11000 farm families to modern methods of producing maize. In 2000, just before maize WFT began, around 23000 ha of maize were cultivated in Bangladesh, compared with 179000 ha in 2006-07, just after the WFT program anded. Training took place in 35 districts in Bangladesh and was supported by innovative printed and audio-visual electronic training materials. Whole-family-trained farmers produce high yielding (6-9 grain/ha) maize crops that gave very high net financial return of around Tk. 23600/ha per Rabi season. Survey results showed WFT farmers planted maize on about 0.09 ha more land per farm and obteined an average 0.8 t more grain yield per ha than those without training, which helped to improve livelihoods. Trained farmers were more likely to have planted to improve livelihoods. Trained farmers were more likely to have planted their maize at the optimal time, applied more NPKS fertilizer and compost, irrigated more frequently, and adopted optimal plant apatial arrangements and cropping patterns. They has a better appreciation of maize production problems and the expected financial returns from maize. MAize WFT program has had a substantial impac on modern maize cultivation practices, and on the promotion and increased production of maize in Bangladesh.

Text in English

CIMMYT Staff Publications Collection