Bangladeshi rice farmers' preferences can help guide future design and implementation of seed initiatives for agricultural development

Bangladesh's inefficient seed system is mainly responsible for the low productivity of the country's farmers. Although the government encourages private companies to produce high-quality seeds, Bangladesh continues to rely heavily on imported seeds.

Less than half of farmers use certified seeds, which have the potential to increase crop yields by 5-20%. Most rely on informal seed systems for planting materials that may be of low quality because of poor breeding, selection, and processing methods and improper storage.

The prevalence of counterfeit and mishandled seeds in local markets, which leads to low germination rates and poor yields, adds to low productivity. Furthermore, it discourages farmers from using the formal seed system, thwarting government efforts to enhance crop yields and improve food security.

Bangladesh has been at the forefront of rice science and breeding since the 1960s. Its various agencies, such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Extension, and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, work closely with the International Rice Research Institute on improved and healthier rice varieties.

Despite the development of 134 modern rice varieties, farmers' adoption of these varieties still needs to be improved. This is attributed to the failure to consider farmers' preferences, crucial to disseminating and adopting agricultural technologies.

Farmers' seed preferences are diverse and context-specific. These preferences are important in developing an inclusive seed system in Bangladesh but remain mostly unexplored.

Rice farmers' preferences for seed quality, packaging, and source: A study from northern Bangladesh seeks to address the existing research gap concerning the significance of farmers' preferences in establishing an efficient rice seed system.

The researchers found a notable gap in the utilization of quality seeds and limited access to formal seed sources across farm categories. Addressing the gap is essential to enhancing rice productivity.

Among the findings are farmers in the study areas preferred 5-kg packets of rice seed. This preference can help develop practical market strategies to encourage farmers to buy quality seeds.

The farmers also considered poly-coated jute sacks as desirable packaging materials. The researchers credit this to a shift in farmers' consciousness towards more eco-friendly products.

According to the study, these findings have substantial environmental advantages, including reducing plastic waste, lowering carbon emissions, and promoting sustainable practices. Additionally, it can benefit the local jute industry and people's livelihoods in jute cultivation and processing.

This work was supported by the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture and the project, A comparative study of quality seed demand assessment by public sector and actual usage of quality seed by farmers.

Read the study:
Sarkar MAR, Habib MA, Sarker MR, Rahman MM, Alam S, Manik MNI, et al. (2024) Rice farmers' preferences for seed quality, packaging, and source: A study from northern Bangladesh. PLoS ONE 19(6): e0306059. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0306059

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