From November 25–27, 2017, a five-member team from IFPRI’s Policy Research and Strategy Support Program (PRSSP) conducted a field visit to Bogra District, Rajshahi Division in northern Bangladesh to meet farmers, conduct a training for Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) officials on monitoring farmers’ field activities, and observe the initiation of the 1,200-farmer baseline survey.
The Bt brinjal impact study is designed to provide a thorough understanding of the impact of adoption of the Bt brinjal technology, which will provide important insights of the efficacy of this new technology to the Ministry of Agriculture, based on which the ministry may guide its future roll-out strategy. The results of the study will also be useful for various other stakeholders such as scientists at the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), government policy makers, the media, and the civil society in Bangladesh. The study has the following specific objectives:
- Estimate, using a rigorous impact evaluation, the impact of growing Bt brinjal by farmers on key outcomes:
- Use of pesticide for brinjal cultivation
- Brinjal yields
- Cost of production
- Net crop income
- Human health outcomes
- Document and disseminate results and lessons learned from the study.
For more information on the research study, "Assessing the Impact of Bt Brinjal Technology in Bangladesh," please contact the Project Lead Dr. Akhter Ahmed.
Photo Credit: Julie Ghostlaw, Country Program Manager, IFPRI-PRSSP