Nearly half of the population in Bangladesh is zinc deficient. Since rice is the major staple food, the government of Bangladesh has developed zinc-biofortified rice varieties to combat zinc deficiency. However, despite the government’s strenuous efforts, the uptake of zinc-biofortified rice remains low. This study hypothesizes that the low level of awareness about the existence of zinc-biofortified rice and its health benefits among rice farmers in Bangladesh may help explain the low adoption of zinc-biofortified rice. Using primary data, the study aims to evaluate rice farmers’ awareness and knowledge of the health benefits of zinc-biofortified rice. By understanding their perceptions, the research seeks to identify potential pathways for the successful adoption and integration of this vital agricultural innovation to combat zinc deficiency in Bangladesh.
This study relies on primary data collected from 1,201 rice farmers across six districts in Bangladesh between January and March 2022. The data were gathered through structured surveys and interviews to assess farmers' familiarity with and understanding of zinc-biofortified rice as well as their cultivation experiences and related agricultural practices. Using the logit model estimation approach, this study examined farmers’ awareness and knowledge of the health benefits of zinc-biofortified rice. In addition, it estimated another equation to characterize sampled farmers who cultivated zinc biofortified rice (1 = yes, 0 = no).
The study found that 39% of the sampled farmers were completely unaware of the availability of zinc-biofortified rice. Among the farmers who were familiar with zinc-biofortified rice, only 50% of them demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the health benefits associated with its consumption. Based on the findings, this study concludes that while a fair percentage of farmers had heard of zinc-biofortified rice, most lacked a clear understanding of what zinc-biofortified rice is and how it differs from other varieties, which limits their ability to make informed decisions. Furthermore, among 1,201 sampled farmers, 622 cultivated zinc-biofortified rice, of whom 516 farmers received free seeds from NGOs. This indicates that the cultivation of zinc-biofortified rice has not yet become self-sustaining, as most farmers are not accustomed to purchasing the seeds independently.
This study used logistic regression to assess household knowledge and cultivation of zinc-biofortified rice, assuming adoption decisions depend only on observable characteristics. However, it does not account for selection bias from unobserved factors, such as yield and income from the cultivation of zinc-biofortified rice, which may also influence the adoption decision. Recognizing this limitation, future research should compare the agronomic and economic performance of zinc-biofortified rice with other commercial varieties and examine whether poor yield, cost or grain quality hinders its widespread adoption in Bangladesh in addition to the lack awareness on the availability of zinc rice and its health benefits.
The study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive information dissemination about zinc deficiency and the nutritional benefits of zinc-biofortified rice among farmers. This study recommends implementing targeted awareness campaigns and outreach initiatives to promote the widespread adoption and consumption of zinc-biofortified rice, which could significantly contribute to combat zinc deficiency in Bangladesh. International donor agencies can play a vital role in this effort by supporting research and funding awareness programs aimed at enhancing farmers’ knowledge and encouraging sustainable cultivation practices.
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Bangladesh to examine farmers’ awareness and knowledge of zinc-biofortified rice. As such, it offers original insights and makes a valuable contribution to the existing literature on technology adoption in agriculture, particularly the adoption of nutrition-sensitive agricultural practices.
