Abstract
This study was conducted in the three sub-districts namely Mucktagacha, Trishal and Fulbaria under
Mymensingh district of Bangladesh during the period 2013-2016. The aim of the study was to identify
the influencing factors for transferring rice land to fish farming, determine the profitability and
distribution of income, and conflicts arising for conversion of rice field into fish farming. A
convenience sampling technique was used in the study and in total, 600 samples were considered from
the respondents of different farming systems by using a semi-structural questionnaire, FGDs, KIIs and
observation. Collected data were analyzed by using Descriptive statistics, Cost-benefit analysis, Lorenz
curve and Gini-coefficient, Conflict Facing Index, Likert Scale and GIS mapping with the help of SPSs
version-19 and Idrisi kilimanjaro software. The result found that per hectare net returns were Tk.
135909, Tk.57121, Tk.215158 and Tk.96606 in the case of only rice farming (O-R-F), rice cum
fish farming (R-C-F), only fish farming (O-F-F) and alternate rice farming (A-R-F) systems
respectively. On the other hand, BCR for different farming systems were found to be 1.30, 1.77,
1.81 and 1.37 for O-R-F, R-C-F, O-F-F and A-R-F farming respectively, indicating that
production of fish was profitable. The Gini-coefficient for fish production in Mymensingh district
was 0.52 implying, income inequalities and the concentration of income in the hands of a few
participants. The results also indicated that low market price than production cost of rice was ranked
first followed by scarcity of labour and high wage rate, long time water logging in the rice land, high
irrigation cost, lack of extension and support services, lack of insect and pest management,
inadequacy of quality seed and high price of quality seed, high cost of fertilizers and pesticides,
inadequate credit support, high post harvest losses, lack of modern farming facilities and natural
calamities. Different types of conflicts were created for transferring rice land into fish culture in the
study areas such as social, economical, managerial, and ecological conflict. The researcher found
different reasons for preferring fish farming in the rice land than rice cultivation. The first and
foremost reason was the high market demand nearby study areas of Mymensingh district. More profit
form fish than that from rice was found to be the next factor. The third crucial factor was availability
of high quality fingerlings for fish farming due to location impact of Bangladesh Fisheries Research
Institute (BFRI) and Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU). Though fish farming was more
profitable compared to rice farming on crop land but created some conflict for conservation of rice
land. Thus, the study suggested some steps and measures to improve the existing farming systems as
well as to strengthen the socioeconomic condition of all farmers.