Determinants of the Use of Modern Inputs and Agricultural Productivity in Bangladesh

Recent studies on growth and productivity of agriculture in Bangladesh can be classified into two major categories. a) Studies based on national time series data on production, input use etc. which examined the trends of output growth and input use (e.g. Abdullah et al 1995, 1997, Shahabuddin and Rahman 1998). b) Studies based on household level cross- sectional data which examined the influence of household characteristics on production and input use (Hossain et al. 1994, Rahman 1995, IIMI 1995). The objective of the present study is to analyze district level data to examine the determinants of the use of modern inputs which enhance agricultural productivity and examine the complementarities between crop and non-crop production and between cereal and non-cereal production. The use of district level data will permit the analysis of the influence of some exogenous characteristics (for example, population pressure) on productivity which may not otherwise be possible and thus will provide new insights into the dynamics of agricultural growth. Analysis of district level data will also be useful for the identification of the advanced and backward areas. This can have important implications for policies of regionally balanced agricultural growth.