Impact assessment of agricultural modernization on sustainable livelihood among tribal and non-tribal farmers in Bangladesh

The study was accomplished to examine the impact of agricultural modernization on sustainable livelihood among the tribal and non-tribal farmers in Bangladesh. Two districts had been selected purposively as study areas which were Sherpur and Mymensingh districts. A total of 160 households (i.e., 80 samples from each district and 40 from tribal and 40 from non-tribal community) were interviewed from different villages for field survey where the indigenous people were involved with different agricultural practices. The majority (43.7%) of the tribal farmers had no education whereas only 30% of the non-tribal farmers were illiterate. It is also showed that 22.5% tribal farmers were engaged in crop cultivation where it was 26.25% for non-tribal farmers. Most of the tribal and non-tribal farmers opined that training is essential for operating new technology. Majority of the farmers had low extent of using modern agricultural practices in the study areas. The Simpson livelihood diversification index was found higher for crop cultivation as well as small business group. The households in the study areas are likely to have a diversified livelihood when they have better education. The scope for livelihood diversification also gets boosted when there was better irrigation, educational and membership facilities. Five components altogether explained about (74.10%) of total variations and first three components account for about half of the variations of the model results. In spite of all problems and threats, there is a strong and great prospect for the upliftment of living standards of underprivileged people through agricultural innovations.