Person: Aravindakshan, S.
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Aravindakshan
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S.
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Aravindakshan, S.
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0000-0003-3801-322112 results
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- Pathways and determinants of sustainable energy use for rice farms in India(Elsevier, 2023) Nayak, H.S.; Parihar, C.M.; Aravindakshan, S.; Silva, J.V.; Krupnik, T.J.; Mcdonald, A.; Kakraliya Suresh Kumar; Sena, D.R.; Kumar, V.; Sherpa, Sonam; Bijarniya, D.; Singh, L.K.; Kumar, M.; Choudhary, K.M.; Kumar, S.; Kumar, Y.; Jat, H.S.; Sidhu, H.S.; Jat, M.L.; Sapkota, T.
Publication - Impact of cropping system diversification on productivity and resource use efficiencies of smallholder farmers in south-central Bangladesh: a multi-criteria analysis(Springer, 2022) Shah-Al Emran; Krupnik, T.J.; Aravindakshan, S.; Kumar, V.; Pittelkow, C.M.
Publication - Factors contributing to farm-level productivity and household income generation in coastal Bangladesh’s rice-based farming systems(Public Library of Science, 2021) Shah-Al Emran; Krupnik, T.J.; Aravindakshan, S.; Kumar, V.; Pittelkow, C.M.
Publication - Can enhancing efficiency promote the economic viability of smallholder farmers? A case of Sierra Leone(MDPI, 2021) Saravia-Matus, S.; Amjath-Babu, T.S; Aravindakshan, S.; Sieber, S.; Saravia, J.A.; Gomez y Paloma, S.
Publication - Socio-cognitive constraints and opportunities for sustainable intensification in South Asia: insights from fuzzy cognitive mapping in coastal Bangladesh(Springer, 2021) Aravindakshan, S.; Krupnik, T.J.; Sumona Shahrin; Tittonell, P.; Siddique, K.H.M.; Ditzler, L.; Groot, J.
Publication - Quantifying farmers' preferences for cropping systems intensification: a choice experiment approach applied in coastal Bangladesh's risk prone farming systems(Elsevier, 2021) Aravindakshan, S.; Krupnik, T.J.; Amjath-Babu, T.S; Speelman, S.; Tur-Cardona, J.; Tittonell, P.; Groot, J.
Publication - Mental models and the potential for crop intensification in coastal Bangladesh: how do farmers’ perceptions reflect proposed agricultural development pathways?(CSISA, 2020) Sumona Shahrin; Krupnik, T.J.; Aravindakshan, S.; Groot, J.The expanded use of surface water for irrigation, intensified farm management, and double cropping have been highlighted by the Government of Bangladesh as policy priorities and development imperatives in the coastal region1. A deltaic country, Bangladesh has a dense network of interconnected rivers and over 230 tributaries flowing into the Bay of Bengal2. Most farmers cultivate rice during the summer monsoon. In the subsequent winter season that is characterized by low amounts of rainfall, many farmers do not irrigate despite available surface water resources in naturally flowing canal systems. Rather, they tend to fallow their fields or grow pulses without intensive management practices. Use of available water resources for irrigation, intensified farm management, and double cropping are relatively rare. The reasons for this ‘ironic’ situation are complex. They involve challenges with soil and water salinity, lack of infrastructure and market integration, and farmers’ generally low investment capacity and aversion to risk, among others 2. Most studies in the coastal region have focused on addressing these issues from a biophysical or agronomic standpoint, or by using econometric approaches to examine farmers’ interest in intensified crop management and the use of irrigation. Considering agronomic management, there are many approaches that have been deemed as technologically feasible 3. Less information is however available on how different kinds of farmers perceive and approach these complex issues. Similarly, the relevance for policy and development initiatives in coastal Bangladesh is relatively under-researched. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to analyze farmers’ perceptions of their predominant farming systems and explore corresponding constraints and perceptions of the use of surface water as a means to intensify farm management.
Publication - Multi-level socioecological drivers of agrarian change: longitudinal evidence from mixed rice-livestock-aquaculture farming systems of Bangladesh(Elsevier, 2020) Aravindakshan, S.; Krupnik, T.J.; Groot, J.; Speelman, E.N.; Amjath-Babu, T.S; Tittonell, P.Coastal systems are facing natural and human-driven change coupled with a rising population. With increasing shifts in socioecological conditions during the past several decades, it is important to understand how socioecological drivers at different hierarchical levels: -micro, -meso, and -macro affect coastal farming systems, which play a crucial role in the livelihoods of coastal dwellers. Mixed rice-livestock-aquaculture farming in Southern Bangladesh exemplifies the rapid change occurring in many of the world's coastal farming systems in response to these drivers. We used panel data observations from the above study area and modeled trajectories of farm typologies, and the impact of multi-level socioecological drivers by a novel approach. Our approach integrates: (1) a well-articulated conceptual frame of change observed using (2) a temporal view of the potential drivers, change process and farm type outcomes, with the twenty years panel data of 502 households that is analyzed by means of (3) multivariate statistics in conjunction with panel data models that operationalize the conceptual frame. Our approach allows (a) estimating dynamic effects over time that typically cannot be estimated in a cross-sectional data set, (b) distinguishing between time-invariant fixed and time dependent random effects of multi-level socioecological drivers, and (c) controlling for omitted variables to a certain extent. Considering farming systems both within and outside of polder embankment systems intended to protect against oceanic water intrusion, we found a gradual shift from heterogeneous, rice-livestock farm types to more homogenous farms with less livestock and more off-farm activities. Micro-level factors including farm plot fragmentation, farmers' experience in cropping, machinery, salinity and soil fertility were influencing changes in farming systems. Meso-level factors including markets, road infrastructure, labor availability, access to extension and land tenure also affect the trajectory of farming systems change. Among macro-level drivers, increasing population density positively and significantly influenced cropping intensity among farms outside polder systems. Within polders, a positive but non-significant trend was observed for the influence of population density on cropping intensity. Our data also indicate negative and significant influence of cyclonic storms on cropping intensity over time in both areas. Our results underscore the importance of accounting for multiple levels of socioecological drivers of change when developing appropriate policy options for sustainable development in South Asia's coastal farming systems.
Publication - Farming on the fringe: shallow groundwater dynamics and irrigation scheduling for maize and wheat in Bangladesh’s coastal delta(Elsevier, 2019) Schulthess, U.; Ahmed, Z.; Aravindakshan, S.; Rokon, G.M.; Alanuzzaman Kurishi, A.S.M.; Krupnik, T.J.Further efforts are needed to combat poverty and agricultural productivity problems in the delta region of Bangladesh. Sustainable intensification of crop production through irrigation and production of cash crops such as maize and wheat might be a promising option to increase income and diversify food production. Only limited research has however been conducted on the potential of using surface water from canals as an irrigation source for maize and wheat production in the delta region. To better understand the contribution of shallow groundwater to crop production and number of irrigations needed for maize and wheat in this unique coastal environment, we conducted multi-locational trials on farmers' fields over three rabi seasons. In addition to soil moisture and salinity, we recorded the depth and salinity of the shallow water table throughout these experiments. Maize in particular requires considerable capital investment for seeds, fertilizer, irrigation and labor. Although farmers express wide interest in maize – which can be sold as a profitable cash crop into Bangladesh's expanding poultry feed industry – many of them are reluctant to invest in fertilizer because of the high entry costs. We therefore also investigated the profitability of growing maize under low and high (recommended) fertilizer regimens. Volumetric soil moisture at sowing and during the grain filling phase or at maturity indicated that there is ample supply of water in the profile. Most measurements were above the drained upper limit (DUL). We attributed this to the generally shallow water table depths, which never exceeded 2.75 m at any location, but generally stayed between 1–2 m depth throughout the season. The region’s soil texture classes (clay loams, silt loams and silty clay loams) are all conducive for capillary rise of water into the rooting zone. Consequently, irrigation had a significant effect on maize yield in the driest winter only, whereas for wheat, it had no effect. The key for a successful maize and wheat production in the delta region of Bangladesh is to ensure a good crop establishment, which can be achieved with a starter and an additional irrigation at crown root initiation for wheat and at V6-8 for maize. Maize however is not always profitable. Compared to low fertilizer rates, higher rates reduced losses in low yielding site-years and increased profits in high-yielding site years. This indicates that it is advisable for farmers not to reduce fertilizer rates. Low-risk financial credit with rationally structured interest rates that allow farmers to invest in maize could potentially offset these constraints.
Publication - Application of a bias-corrected meta-frontier approach and an endogenous switching regression to analyze the technical efficiency of conservation tillage for wheat in South Asia(Springer Verlag, 2018) Aravindakshan, S.; Rossi, F.J.; Amjath-Babu, T.S; Veettil, P.C.; Krupnik, T.J.Conservation tillage (CT) options are among the most rapidly spreading land preparation and crop establishment techniques globally. In South Asia, CT has spread dramatically over the last decade, a result of strong policy support and increasing availability of appropriate machinery. Although many studies have analyzed the yield and profitability of CT systems, the technical efficiency impacts accrued by farmers utilizing CT have received considerably less attention. Employing a DEA framework, we isolated bias-corrected meta-frontier technical efficiencies and meta-technology ratios of three CT options adopted by wheat farmers in Bangladesh, including bed planting (BP), power tiller operated seeding (PTOS), and strip tillage (ST), compared to a control group of farmers practicing traditional tillage (TT). Endogenous switching regression was subsequently employed to overcome potential self-selection bias in the choice of CT, in order to robustly estimate efficiency factors. Among the tillage options studied, PTOS was the most technically efficient, with an average meta-technology ratio of 0.90, followed by BP (0.88), ST (0.83), and TT (0.67). The average predicted meta-frontier technical efficiency for the CT non-adopters under a counterfactual scenario (0.80) was significantly greater (P = 0.00) than current TE scores (0.65), indicating the potential for sizeable profitability increases with CT adoption. Conversely, the counterfactual TE of non-adopters was 23% greater than their DEA efficiency, also indicating efficiency gains from CT adoption. Our results provide backing for agricultural development programs in South Asia that aim to increase smallholder farmers’ income through the application of CT as a pathway towards poverty reduction.
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