Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment | ISSN (Online Version): 2708-5694

Determinants and impacts of contract farming on bean production, income, and prices in Bangladesh: Evidence from propensity score matching

Hasan MR — 2026-08-03

This study evaluates the impact of contract farming on bean production, farm income, and output prices in Bangladesh. Using primary data collected from 300 bean growers in Narsingdi district, the study employs Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to compute the average treatment effect on the treated (ATT), supplemented with Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW) and Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (IPWRA) to ensure robustness. The determinants of farmers' participation in contract farming are first identified using a probit model. The results indicate that number of trainings, bean cultivation area, access to off farm income significantly increase the likelihood of participation, whereas bicycle ownership, organizational membership reduce participation probability. Impact estimates consistently show that contract farming significantly improves farm performance. Contract farmers achieve 3.4 - 5.2% higher bean yields, 33.2 - 36.1% higher gross margins, 47.4 - 49.4% higher net revenues, and receive 26.6 - 27.4% higher output prices than comparable non-contract farmers. Robustness checks using IPW and IPWRA confirm these findings. The results suggest that contract farming can enhance smallholder market integration and income in Bangladesh, although supportive institutional mechanisms and farmer awareness remain critical for sustained benefits.

Foliar Application of Humic Acid and Ascorbic Acid Alleviates Salt Stress in Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Kabir MH — 2026-06-30

Salinity limits sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) productivity in coastal Bangladesh. This study evaluated the comparative effectiveness of foliar-applied ascorbic acid (150 ppm) and humic acid (1200 ppm) in mitigating salinity stress on growth, physiology, and yield of sweet pepper cv. BARI Misty Morich-1. Plants were grown in pots under shade-net conditions and subjected to three salinity levels: non-saline control (0.7 dS m⁻¹ EC, native soil), moderate salinity (4 dS m⁻¹), and high salinity (8 dS m⁻¹), in a two-factor completely randomized design with three replications. Foliar sprays were applied at 15, 30, and 45 days after transplanting. Salinity reduced growth, physiology, and yield (P ≤ 0.05). Both biostimulants alleviated these salt-induced reductions, but humic acid consistently outperformed ascorbic acid. Under severe salinity (8 dS m⁻¹), humic acid produced a substantially greater yield increase over untreated plants than ascorbic acid did. The interaction of non-saline conditions with humic acid (S₀C₂) produced the maximum fruit yield (1170.08 g plant⁻¹), while severe salinity without treatment (S₂C₀) yielded the minimum (311.40 g plant⁻¹). Ascorbic acid was notably more effective in enhancing fruit vitamin C content. Foliar humic acid (1200 ppm) effectively alleviates salinity stress in sweet pepper and offers a practical mitigation strategy for salt-affected regions, though field validation across diverse saline environments is warranted.

Monitoring of fungicide residues in betel leaf collected from different locations of Bangladesh

Prodhan MDH — 2026-06-30

An analytical method using Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique and Gas Chromatography (GC) coupled with Electron Capture Detector (ECD) was used for the determination of 2 fungicide (difenoconazole and thiram) residues in betel leaf samples collected from different locations (Barishal, Gazipur and Rajshahi) of Bangladesh. The analytical method used in this study was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and linearity. The accuracy was found acceptable, ranging from 91.33% - 99.16% with an acceptable precision (≤6.58%). A total of 61 real samples were analyzed in this study. Among the analyzed samples of betel leaf, 5 were found to contain residues of difenoconazole and thiram, ranged from 0.110 mg/kg to 0.648 mg/kg. The level of detected thiram residues (0.110-0.210 mg/kg) were above maximum residue limits (MRLs) and the level of difenoconazole residues (0.360-0.648 mg/kg) were below MRLs. This study provides an overview of fungicide residues contamination in betel leaf samples collected from different locations across Bangladesh.

Cloud-Based Digital Transformation of Dairy Research: The DDRP-BLRI Integrated Data Recording System

Shahjahan M — 2026-06-30

Effective data management is fundamental to conducting high-quality livestock research. In response to the lack of systematic data recording in the dairy sector of Bangladesh, a mobile and web-based digital data recording application was developed and implemented for the Dairy Development Research Project (DDRP) of the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI). The application enabled comprehensive data collection across four key domains: breeding and reproduction, nutrition and feeding, animal health, and socioeconomic aspects of farm households. Data could be recorded using mobile devices in both online and offline modes or through a web console, and all entered data were securely stored in a cloud-based server. Stored records could be downloaded in Excel or PDF format for further statistical analysis. The mobile interface comprised 18 functional modules: 11 for active data input and 7 for auxiliary tasks. Additionally, the web console was organized into 5 comprehensive management modules: Dashboard, Profile, Service, Report, and Preference. Mobile device access was controlled through administrator approval using system-generated user credentials, ensuring data security and accountability. Similarly, web-based access for desktop users was granted through unique login credentials with customized permission levels. A key feature of the system was its Global Positioning System (GPS) based mapping, which displayed the geographic distribution of enrolled cattle and farm households in real time. Overall, the DDRP-BLRI integrated data recording system represented a scalable model, multidisciplinary digital platform capable of enhancing research efficiency across both rural community settings and on-station research environments in Bangladesh.

A systematic review on the risk of colorectal cancer in association with red meat intake

Rahman SME — 2026-06-30

The evolution in lifestyle and the food intake have become the main reasons behind the increase of colorectal cancer worldwide. Though red meat is marked as a great contributor to form this type of cancer according to the World Cancer Fund Organization, some researchers found that negative. The main focus of this study is to understand the basic relation between red meat intake and the probability of this type of cancer occurrence. The accessible resources in English were taken for this study up to the year of 2022. According to some criteria 10 research works were taken from 371 works. Our study found no relation between red meat and the risk of colorectal cancer. Beside this, a relation between processed meat intake and highly boiled meat intake was found to be responsible for colorectal cancer and its growth. In some cases, the genetic makeup of the individuals was found to have some relation with the influence of red meat intake on colorectal cancer. What we got from this review recognizes an extended intake of processed meat (>100g/day) as a risk factor for colorectal cancer.