The present study was undertaken to evolve optimal crop-livestock farming system and to investigate the possibilities of increasing income and employment of various categories of farms under different optimal farming systems. The study was conducted in Nawabganj district of the Rajshahi division which is located under the high Barind tract. The high Barind tract of north-west Bangladesh is considered as a dryland area due to its semi-arid nature. Two mouzas were selected under Nachole thana of Nawabganj district for the study. Appropriate statistical tools were used for selecting the sample size. A total of 88 farms were selected from a population of 252 farms by using Fisher's measure of skewness formula. Samples were stratified into small, medium and large farm category. The samples in each category were further classified according to their different combination of enterprises. Four farming systems were identified based on crop and livestock enterprises for each of the farm category. Using linear programming technique optimal plans were worked out under each of the farming systems at two levels of capital availability - restricted (plan A) and unrestricted (plan B).
The study reveals that with restricted capital availability increase in employment was the highest under crop + poultry farming system for all the categories of farms. The available resources were optimally allocated only among the crops under crop + poultry farming system of the medium and large farms. The available family labour was not fully utilized in plan A under restricted capital situation and as such family labour was partially surplus in all the farming systems. When the restriction on capital was withdrawn in plan B the highest increase in employment was noted in crop + dairy + poultry + goat farming system of the small and medium farms and crop + poultry + goat farming system of the large farms as compared to plan A. The optimization of resources with unrestricted capital is helpful in augmenting the levels of employment under all the farming systems of all the farm categories. The existing family labour fell short of the requirement and hired labour were used to complete the time-bound farm operations under all the farming systems.
The optimal allocation of resources with restricted and unrestricted capital situation led to an increase in net returns in all the farming systems for all the categories of farms. Under restricted capital situation in plan A the crop + dairy + poultry + goat farming system provide the highest net return for the small farms and crop + poultry farming system was the best compared to other systems for medium and large farms in terms of income generation. However, it is implied that under restricted capital situation available farm resources were optimally allocated among the crops and poultry enterprises in the crop + dairy + poultry + goat farming system for the small farms and only among the crops under crop + poultry farming system for medium and large farms.
The provision of adequate credit facility helped to generate income substantially over the optimal plan with restricted capital availability. The benefits of borrowed capital was more pronounced in capital starved small and medium farms in all the farming systems. Due to relaxation of capital restriction, the additional investment increased in small farm at much higher rate than medium and large farms in all the farming systems. Results emphasized the need for strengthening the close coordination between financing organization and extension institutions so as to enhance the economic activities of the farmers under different farm situations.