Deriving factors of adopting tea farming among the smallholders in the northern region of Bangladesh

Authors/ Publisher: Md. Nur Alam and Kazi Newaz Mostafa

Abstract:

Tea is the second-largest export-oriented cash crop of Bangladesh. It is widely cultivated in the northeastern hilly areas of Bangladesh, but in recent times, tea has also been cultivated in the northern region of Bangladesh, which remains flat land. Interestingly, smallholders are engaging in tea cultivation in these areas. Data were collected from two different upazilas (Thakurgaon Sadar and Baliadangi) of Thakurgaon District from December 2023 to January 2024. A total of 102 respondents (54 adopters and 48 non-adopters) were interviewed using the snowball sampling technique because of the scattered location of tea gardens and a mixed-method approach for the unexplored nature of the study area. Being a dichotomous dependent variable (adoption), a binary logistic regression model was used in this study. The result shows a statistically significant relationship with the three broad factors: personal attributes (such as education), economic conditions (including land size and household income), and institutional factors (attending training and availability of incentives). Tea cultivation can be a promising potential for the flatland in the northern region, especially among the smallholders. Policies should focus on enhancing education, expanding training opportunities, offering incentives to accelerate the adoption of tea farming, and promoting inclusive agricultural growth in Northern Bangladesh.

Keywords: Adoption, Tea farming, Smallholders, Logistic Regression

Jel Classification: Q12, Q16, O13, Q18