The study was carried out to determine the extent of training needs of the fish farmers on integrated fish farming and to explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of the fish farmers and their extent of training needs on integrated fish farming (IFF). Four villages, namely North Gouari, South Gouari, Rajpur and Satrasia under Muktagacha Upazila (sub-district) of Mymensingh district were the locale of the study. Ninety fish farmers (out of the total of 300) were randomly selected as a sample of the study. Data were collected from the sample of fish farmers by using a pre-tested interview schedule through personal interview method during 15 to 30 April 2013. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was computed to explore the relationships between the selected characteristics of the respondents and their extent of training needs on IFF. Training needs of the fish farmers on IFF was the dependent variable and selected characteristics of the respondents constituted the independent variables of the study. The highest proportion (56.7 per cent) of the respondents had high training needs while 42.2 per cent of the respondents had medium and only 1.1 per cent had low training need on IFF. The 'training needs for selection of diseases free seed and species' ranked first followed by 'training needs for ways of diseases control'. Sequentially 'training needs for breed selection' was third, 'training needs for stocking density of fish species' was fourth 'training needs for preventive measures of diseases' was fifth and 'training need for techniques of egg collection' was last in the rank order. Correlation analyses indicated that five characteristics of the integrated fish farmers, namely years of schooling, organizational participation, communication exposure, social mobility and knowledge with IFF had significant positive relationships with their extent of training needs on IFF. The household size, age and annual income showed no significant relationships with their extent of training needs on IFF and showed negative trend. The main problems on IFF were unavailability of quality seed and species, lack of financial support, lack of knowledge on species selection, lack of marketing facilities, lack of knowledge on fish processing and preservation. The extension service providers should arrange more training and motivational campaign for the fish farmers on IFF.

This study empirically tests the benefit of the smallholders from organic farming in Bangladesh through their improved food security which is realised from their increased productivity and farm income. The respondent smallholders were picked up from two districts of Bangladesh namely Mymensingh and Bogra. The respondents (80) were the beneficiaries of the organic agriculture promotion project of Bangladesh Agricultural University. Three years data were collected by the project staff and were crosschecked with the base line. Findings of the study explored that before joining with the project extreme majority (93%) of the small farmers were involved in rice mono-culture and more than half (67%) of them were food deficit. The study also revealed that at the initial year of joining organic agriculture project their farm productivity was 10–12% lesser and it increased continually in the successive years. In some cases, it crossed the yield compared to conventional farming. The findings of the study showed that 100% of the farmers have followed crop diversification with high value vegetables and spices along with rice. Due to adoption of organic practices, the cost of production of the smallholders has declined from 27% to 36% and additionally they enjoy 10% to 15% premium prices which have enhanced their farm income significantly. The study shows that 62.5% of the smallholder farmers had attained household food security due to adoption of organic agriculture. Thus, adoption of organic agriculture effectively increased smallholders’ access to surplus safe food. However, the study also explored that farm size, extension media contact, access to assured market and access to institutional support are the most important factors in improving smallholders’ household food security through participation in organic agriculture programme. Thus, it can be concluded that organic agriculture can feed the smallholders in a better way.

computation of resilience/vulnerability indices at the farming system scale. Thirdly, the consistency of the computation method is tested to produce results by defining the test of optimal decision rules considering the effective contexts where decisions are made (external shocks, institutional design etc.). The necessary conditions for actions and policies in favour of SIDS' resilience to emerge are then explained. Insight on the method suggested in the viability theory Since late 1980, viability theory has focused on the study of constrained discrete or continuous dynamic systems (partly controlled by humans or regulated by nature), partly subject to known but unpredictable perturbations or to systemic approximate assessment and for which qualitative objectives may be prescribed such as reaching a target in finite time or optimizing some overall criteria. Viability tools can handle complexity which avoids the use of classical methods such as optimal control theory or Monte Carlo as in statistical methods. Typically viability analysis answers the question: starting from a given initial situation, does it at least one viable evolution exist? Above all viability analysis provides the decision rules which when applied will sustain viability. Expected results The research contributions are theoretical, empirical as well as practical. Theoretically, a re-foundation of the agricultural sector analysed as a determinant of the SIDS vulnerability is expected. On the empirical viewpoint, a robust protocol that determines the viable evolutions of the agricultural sector should be built. At the practical level, the interpretation of measurement results should provide the rules of decision the different stakeholders (from the producer to the politician) have to follow using a guidebook, in order to generate resilience in SIDS from an agricultural development viewpoint in line with the new requirements of adaptability and sustainability.

The main focus of the study was to identify and describe the problems faced by the rural women beneficiaries in participating in SHOUHARDO II program. The study was conducted in Doribhabkhali village of Bhabkhali Union Parisad of Mymensingh Sadar Upazila under Mymensingh district. Data were collected from sixty rural women beneficiaries from 381 beneficiaries using random sampling method in April, 2015. The highest proportion of the rural women beneficiaries (41.7 percent) faced medium problems in participating program, while 33.3 percent of them had low problems. Among nine selected problems “religious obstacle” got the highest score (TOSS-156) and hence was considered as 1st ranked problem and “incompatibility with the participants” got the lowest score (TOSS-29) and hence was considered as9th ranked problem. The selected characteristics of the respondents, such as household size showed positive relationship while extension media contact and social mobility showed negative with problem confrontation in participating SHOUHARDO II program. On the basis of probable solutions (correct interpretation of religious issues, increasing duration of training program etc.) made by rural women beneficiaries, necessary steps should be taken to reduce the faced problems.Progressive Agriculture 27 (2): 200-206, 2016