Spatially explicit database on crop-livestock management, soil, climate, greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation potential for all of Bangladesh.

This data article provides spatially explicit data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation potential at various administrative levels for the whole of Bangladesh. The results arising from analysis of this database are presented in research article "Quantifying opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation using big data from smallholder crop and livestock farmers across Bangladesh" [1]. We collected crop and livestock management data and associated soil and climatic data from variety of primary and secondary sources outlined below in our methodology. The datafiles on crops and livestock contain model outputs for three greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and their global warming potential, which are linked, to the information on crop/livestock management, soil and climatic conditions presented in the supplementary data of the associated manuscript. The datafiles on mitigation potential contain district-level annual GHG mitigation potential by 2030 and 2050 segregated by different crops/livestock types and mitigation options. This dataset is useful for Bangladesh's GHG accounting from the agricultural sector, and can be used to update its nationally determined contributions. Administrative level emissions and mitigation potential estimates segregated by crop-livestock types and mitigation options are useful to prioritize agricultural research and development interventions consistent with food security and environmental goals and to organize agricultural extension and support services to better inform farmers on food production and move towards GHG mitigation goals.

Quantifying opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation using big data from smallholder crop and livestock farmers across Bangladesh.

Climate change is and will continue to have significant implications for agricultural systems. While adaptation to climate change should be the priority for smallholder production systems, adoption of cost-effective mitigation options in agriculture not only contributes to food security but also reduces the extent of climate change and future adaptation needs. Utilizing management data from 16,413 and 12,548 crop and livestock farmers and associated soil and climatic data, we estimated GHG emissions generated from crop and livestock production using crop and livestock models, respectively. Mitigation measures in crop and livestock production, their mitigation potential and cost/benefit of adoption were then obtained from literature review, stakeholder consultations and expert opinion. We applied the identified mitigation measures to a realistic scale of adoption scenario in the short- (2030) and long-term (2050). Our results were then validated through stakeholders consultations. Here, we present identified mitigation options, their mitigation potentials and cost or benefit of adoption in the form of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC). Based on our analysis, total GHG emissions from agricultural sector in Bangladesh for the year 2014-15 is 76.79 million tonne (Mt) carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Business-as-usual GHG emissions from the agricultural sector in Bangladesh are approximately 86.87 and 100.44 Mt CO2e year-1 by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Adoption of climate-smart crop and livestock management options to reduce emissions considering a realistic adoption scenario would offer GHG mitigation opportunities of 9.51 and 14.21 Mt CO2e year-1 by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Of this mitigation potential, 70-75% can be achieved through cost-saving options that could benefit smallholder farmers. Realization of this potential mitigation benefit, however, largely depends on the degree to which supportive policies and measures can encourage farmers' adoption of the identified climate smart agricultural techniques. Therefore, government should focus on facilitating uptake of these options through appropriate policy interventions, incentive mechanisms and strengthening agricultural extension programs.

Risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh: findings of the population-based cross-sectional national survey 2018.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the national prevalence of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the adult population of Bangladesh. DESIGN: The study was a population-based national cross-sectional study. SETTING: This study used 496 primary sampling units (PSUs) developed by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. The PSUs were equally allocated to each division and urban and rural stratum within each division. PARTICIPANTS: The participants were adults aged 18 to 69 years, who were usual residents of the households for at least 6 months and stayed the night before the survey. Out of 9900 participants, 8185 (82.7%) completed STEP-1 and STEP-2, and 7208 took part in STEP-3. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME: The prevalence of behavioural, physical and biochemical risk factors of NCD. Data were weighted to generate national estimates. RESULTS: Tobacco use was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the rural (45.2%) than the urban (38.8%) population. Inadequate fruit/vegetable intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the urban (92.1%) than in the rural (88.9%) population. The mean salt intake per day was higher in the rural (9.0 g) than urban (8.9 g) population. Among all, 3.0% had no, 70.9% had 1 to 2 and 26.2% had ≥3 NCD risk factors. The urban population was more likely to have insufficient physical activity (adjusted OR (AOR): 1.2, 95% CI: 1.2 to 1.2), obesity (AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.5 to 1.5), hypertension (AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.3), diabetes (AOR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.6 to 1.6) and hyperglycaemia (AOR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1 to 1.1). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the high prevalence of the behavioural, physical and biochemical risk factors, diverse population and high-risk group targeted interventions are essential to combat the rising burden of NCDs.

Baseline Widal Titer Among Healthy Adult Males from the Greater Mymensingh Division of Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: Widal test is the most widely used laboratory investigation for diagnosis of typhoid. However, the test interpretation remains controversial in the context of endemic regions such as Bangladesh, as agglutination occurs at varied titrations among a large percentage of healthy population. Paired Widal tests are often not feasible; hence single unpaired test has to be used for screening, diagnosis and treatment. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the normal range of baseline titre for Anti TO, TH, AO, AH, BO agglutinins among healthy population in an endemic country with a view to guide the researchers and the clinicians, facilitating further investigation on updating cut off points of single Widal test for screening and diagnosis of typhoid fever in the context of Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh on 2925 male immigration applicants. A single blood sample was collected for Widal test and interpreted using standard guidelines. RESULTS: The highest baseline titer for Anti TO, TH, AO, AH, BO agglutinins among 95% of the healthy participants was found to be 1:80 for each respectively. A titre of 1: 40 was observed for BH antigen. CONCLUSION: In case of singular Widal test, baseline values for the normal range was found to be 1:20 - 1:80 for all the antigens (TO, TH, AO, AH, BO, BH), except BH, for which it was 1:20-1:40. Further studies, inclusive of other sociodemographic groups and positive controls are required to determine the updated cut off values.

Climate change skepticism and index versus standard crop insurance demand in coastal Bangladesh.

This paper investigates if climate change skepticism, farmers' fatalistic beliefs, and insurance plan design influence interest in crop weather insurance. While studies of the influence of fatalism on disaster preparedness are common, the ways in which fatalism influences climate change skepticism, and in turn affects farmers' interest in crop insurance, have not been previously investigated. An additional objective was to understand farmers' preferences for index versus standard insurance options, the former entailing damage compensation based on post-hazard assessment, the latter tying damage compensation to a set of weather parameter thresholds. A discrete choice experiment was conducted with maize farmers on a climate-risk prone island in coastal Bangladesh. Most farmers were insurance averse. Those who chose insurance were however significantly more likely to select standard as opposed to index-based insurance. Insurance demand was significantly and positively correlated with farmers' concern about the adverse livelihood impacts of climate change. Farmers who exhibited fatalistic views regarding the consequences of climate change were significantly less likely to opt for insurance of either kind. These findings imply that the prospect for farmers' investment in insurance is conditioned by their understanding of climate change risks and the utility of adaptation, in addition to insurance scheme design.

The influence of gender and product design on farmers' preferences for weather-indexed crop insurance.

Theoretically, weather-index insurance is an effective risk reduction option for small-scale farmers in low income countries. Renewed policy and donor emphasis on bridging gender gaps in development also emphasizes the potential social safety net benefits that weather-index insurance could bring to women farmers who are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change risk and have low adaptive capacity. To date, no quantitative studies have experimentally explored weather-index insurance preferences through a gender lens, and little information exists regarding gender-specific preferences for (and constraints to) smallholder investment in agricultural weather-index insurance. This study responds to this gap, and advances the understanding of preference heterogeneity for weather-index insurance by analysing data collected from 433 male and female farmers living on a climate change vulnerable coastal island in Bangladesh, where an increasing number of farmers are adopting maize as a potentially remunerative, but high-risk cash crop. We implemented a choice experiment designed to investigate farmers' valuations for, and trade-offs among, the key attributes of a hypothetical maize crop weather-index insurance program that offered different options for bundling insurance with financial saving mechanisms. Our results reveal significant insurance aversion among female farmers, irrespective of the attributes of the insurance scheme. Heterogeneity in insurance choices could however not be explained by differences in men's and women's risk and time preferences, or agency in making agriculturally related decisions. Rather, gendered differences in farmers' level of trust in insurance institutions and financial literacy were the key factors driving the heterogeneous preferences observed between men and women. Efforts to fulfill gender equity mandates in climate-smart agricultural development programs that rely on weather-index insurance as a risk-abatement tool are therefore likely to require a strengthening of institutional credibility, while coupling such interventions with financial literacy programs for female farmers.