An assessment of capacity building activities for common interest farmer groups in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

This study examines how farmers from the Common Interest Group (CIG) have changed their capacity levels due to participating in Bangladesh’s National Agricultural Technology Program (NATP). A mixed-method design was used to collect data from 120 rice and vegetable farmers. Results show that most respondents (above 75 per cent) agree that NATP initiatives, particularly group-based extension services, developed their capacity in different cultivation techniques, resource utilisation, farm inputs, communication behaviour, market access, and involvement in farmer organisations (FOs)/community-based organisations (CBOs). This study concludes that the concept of CIGs should be incorporated into the existing extension system following the termination of donor support.

KEYWORDS:

• capacity development
• National Agricultural Technology Program (NATP)
• common interest group (CIG)
• Bangladesh

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, for funding this research. In addition, the authors would like to thank the Upazila Agriculture Officer of Monohardi Upazila, Nasrsingdi, and the respondents for their enthusiastic participation in the field survey.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh funded the study.

Notes on contributors

Mohammad Golam Farouque

Mohammad Golam Farouque holds B.Sc. Ag. (Hons.) and M.S. (Agricultural Extension Education) from Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh, and Ph.D. (Agricultural Sciences) from Nagoya University, Japan. He is a Professor (Agricultural Extension Education) at Bangladesh Agricultural University and is currently a Visiting Professor at Tohoku University, Japan. His current research interest covers extension approaches, livelihood strategies, and climate change issues in developing countries.

Khondokar H. Kabir

Khondokar H. Kabir is an agricultural researcher and practitioner with over 10 years of experience. He holds degrees in Agriculture and Agricultural Extension Education from Bangladesh Agricultural University. Currently a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Guelph (Canada), his research focuses on managing information disorder within agri-food and natural resource sectors. Additionally, he specializes in capacity development, Q-methodology, climate change, digital advisory services, social media, urban agriculture, social learning, and rights-based development approaches.

Debashis Roy

Debashis Roy is Assistant Agricultural Extension Education Professor at Bangladesh Agricultural University. He holds degrees in Agriculture and Agricultural Extension Education from Bangladesh Agricultural University and an M.Sc. in Agricultural Systems and Engineering from the Asian Institute of Technology. Currently a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow, his research focuses on social-ecological systems, food and nutrition insecurity, climate adaptation, and sustainability within agriculture.

Md. Masud Rana

Md. Masud Rana holds degrees in Agriculture and Agricultural Extension Education from Bangladesh Agricultural University, where he currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural Extension Education. He is concurrently pursuing a PhD at the Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Japan. His research interests lie in sustainable agriculture, rural development, socio-environmental interactions, farm resource management, food security, and poverty alleviation.

Joseph L. Donaldson

Joseph L. Donaldson holds a B.S. (Agricultural Extension Education) from the University of Tennessee, and M.S.(Agricultural Extension Education) from Pennsylvania State University, and Ph.D. (Educational Psychology and Research) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs at the College of Agriculture and Life Science, North Carolina State University, USA. His research interests include career development, program evaluation, international development, extension professional competencies and community engagement.