Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh

We investigated alternative cropping and feeding options for large (>10 cows), medium (5–10 cows) and small (≤4 cows) mixed crop – livestock farm types, to enhance economic and environmental performance in Jhenaidha and Meherpur districts – locations with increasing dairy production – in south weste...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Shahin Alam, Krupnik, Timothy J., Shanjida Sharmin, Mohammad Ashiqul Islam, Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Informa UK Limited 2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135391
_version_ 1855517609817014272
author Shahin Alam
Krupnik, Timothy J.
Shanjida Sharmin
Mohammad Ashiqul Islam
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
author_browse Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Krupnik, Timothy J.
Mohammad Ashiqul Islam
Shahin Alam
Shanjida Sharmin
author_facet Shahin Alam
Krupnik, Timothy J.
Shanjida Sharmin
Mohammad Ashiqul Islam
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
author_sort Shahin Alam
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description We investigated alternative cropping and feeding options for large (>10 cows), medium (5–10 cows) and small (≤4 cows) mixed crop – livestock farm types, to enhance economic and environmental performance in Jhenaidha and Meherpur districts – locations with increasing dairy production – in south western Bangladesh. Following focus group discussions with farmers on constraints and opportunities, we collected baseline data from one representative farm from each farm size class per district (six in total) to parameterize the whole-farm model FarmDESIGN. The six modelled farms were subjected to Pareto-based multi-objective (differential evolution algorithm) optimization to generate alternative dairy farm and fodder configurations. The objectives were to maximize farm profit, soil organic matter balance, and feed self-reliance, in addition to minimizing feed costs and soil nitrogen losses as indicators of sustainability. The cropped areas of the six baseline farms ranged from 0.6 to 4.0 ha and milk production per cow was between 1,640 and 3,560 kg year−1. Feed self-reliance was low (17%–57%) and soil N losses were high (74–342 kg ha−1 year−1). Subsequent trade-off analysis showed that increasing profit and soil organic matter balance was associated with higher risks of N losses. However, we found opportunities to improve economic and environmental performance simultaneously. Feed self-reliance could be increased by intensifying cropping and substituting fallow periods with appropriate fodder crops. For the farm type with the largest opportunity space and room to manoeuvre, we identified four strategies. Three strategies could be economically and environmentally benign, showing different opportunities for farm development with locally available resources.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace135391
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2024
publishDateRange 2024
publishDateSort 2024
publisher Informa UK Limited
publisherStr Informa UK Limited
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1353912025-11-06T13:03:31Z Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh Shahin Alam Krupnik, Timothy J. Shanjida Sharmin Mohammad Ashiqul Islam Groot, Jeroen C.J. ruminant feeding bioeconomic models mixed cropping farms livestock We investigated alternative cropping and feeding options for large (>10 cows), medium (5–10 cows) and small (≤4 cows) mixed crop – livestock farm types, to enhance economic and environmental performance in Jhenaidha and Meherpur districts – locations with increasing dairy production – in south western Bangladesh. Following focus group discussions with farmers on constraints and opportunities, we collected baseline data from one representative farm from each farm size class per district (six in total) to parameterize the whole-farm model FarmDESIGN. The six modelled farms were subjected to Pareto-based multi-objective (differential evolution algorithm) optimization to generate alternative dairy farm and fodder configurations. The objectives were to maximize farm profit, soil organic matter balance, and feed self-reliance, in addition to minimizing feed costs and soil nitrogen losses as indicators of sustainability. The cropped areas of the six baseline farms ranged from 0.6 to 4.0 ha and milk production per cow was between 1,640 and 3,560 kg year−1. Feed self-reliance was low (17%–57%) and soil N losses were high (74–342 kg ha−1 year−1). Subsequent trade-off analysis showed that increasing profit and soil organic matter balance was associated with higher risks of N losses. However, we found opportunities to improve economic and environmental performance simultaneously. Feed self-reliance could be increased by intensifying cropping and substituting fallow periods with appropriate fodder crops. For the farm type with the largest opportunity space and room to manoeuvre, we identified four strategies. Three strategies could be economically and environmentally benign, showing different opportunities for farm development with locally available resources. 2024-12-31 2023-12-14T14:57:55Z 2023-12-14T14:57:55Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135391 en Open Access application/pdf Informa UK Limited Alam, S., Krupnik, T. J., Sharmin, S., Islam, M. A., & Groot, J. C. J. (2023). Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh. NJAS: Impact in Agricultural and Life Sciences, 96(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/27685241.2023.2290046
spellingShingle ruminant feeding
bioeconomic models
mixed cropping
farms
livestock
Shahin Alam
Krupnik, Timothy J.
Shanjida Sharmin
Mohammad Ashiqul Islam
Groot, Jeroen C.J.
Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh
title Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh
title_full Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh
title_fullStr Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh
title_full_unstemmed Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh
title_short Alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop-livestock farms in Bangladesh
title_sort alternative cropping and feeding options to enhance sustainability of mixed crop livestock farms in bangladesh
topic ruminant feeding
bioeconomic models
mixed cropping
farms
livestock
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/135391
work_keys_str_mv AT shahinalam alternativecroppingandfeedingoptionstoenhancesustainabilityofmixedcroplivestockfarmsinbangladesh
AT krupniktimothyj alternativecroppingandfeedingoptionstoenhancesustainabilityofmixedcroplivestockfarmsinbangladesh
AT shanjidasharmin alternativecroppingandfeedingoptionstoenhancesustainabilityofmixedcroplivestockfarmsinbangladesh
AT mohammadashiqulislam alternativecroppingandfeedingoptionstoenhancesustainabilityofmixedcroplivestockfarmsinbangladesh
AT grootjeroencj alternativecroppingandfeedingoptionstoenhancesustainabilityofmixedcroplivestockfarmsinbangladesh