This study measures the impacts of remittances on reducing volatility of household consumption using a panel dataset of 84 developing countries during the period from 1978 to 2012. This study shows that the volatility of household consumption can significantly be reduced by international migrants' remittances. The robustness checks reinforce the stabilising impact of migrants' remittances on consumption volatility in developing countries.Since the overall consumption is an integral part of household welfare, the findings of this study highlight that international migrants' remittances may indeed contribute significantly to households' welfare through reducing the volatility of consumption in remittance receiving developing countries.

An experiment was conducted in field condition to study the effect of nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization on growth, yield and nutrient content of cabbage. The experiment was laid out in randomize block design with three replications. The yield and yield components were maximized by N3P2 fertilizer treatment. Nutrient content of cabbage varied with fertilizer treatment. The maximum amount of reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, phosphorus were found at the highest rate of N - P fertilization whereas accumulation of titrable acidity, iron, calcium were maximum at the rate of N2P2 treatment. However pH, ash content were more or less same throughout the experiment. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 41(1-2), 41-46, 2006

Potato is the third largest food crop in Bangladesh by tonnage of production. Its acreage and production are also increasing in day after day. This study was accomplished to examine the profitability and resource use efficiency of potato cultivation in five upazilas of Munshiganj district of Bangladesh. A total of 52 farmers were selected randomly from the study area. Data were collected through farm survey by using a suitable pre-tested questionnaire in February-March, 2016. Profitability analysis, Cobb-Douglas production function, MVP, MFC and Farm Budgeting model were used to analyze the objectives. Average gross return, gross margin and net return were found Tk. 3,47,200, Tk. 1,47,125 and Tk. 1,17,300, respectively. Benefit-cost ratio was found 1.51 and 1.74 on full cost and variable cost basis, respectively. The key production factors, i.e. human labour, land preparation, seed, fertilizer, insecticides and irrigations had significant effect on gross return of potato. Resource use efficiency analysis revealed that farmers were not efficient in using resources in potato cultivation. Human labor, land preparation, insecticide and irrigation were under-utilized and therefore increasing use of those resources could maximize the profitability. Seed and fertilizer constituted major parts of the cost of production hence optimum use of those resources could also enhance the profitability and resource use efficiency of potato cultivation in Munshiganj district.

The plant spacing of 20, 25 and 30 cm were used for the study. The doses of nitrogen and phosphorus were 80, 100, 120 and 45, 60, 75 kg/hectare respectively. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with three replications. 20 cm plant spacing produced the highest plot yield. Maximum number of seeds per head and yield were produced by the application of 120 kg N + 75 kg P2O5 per hectare. In case of plant spacing x fertilizer interaction effect, 20 cm plant spacing with 120 kg N + 75 kg P2O5 per hectare treatment produced the highest head diameter and seed yield. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 41(1-2), 33-40, 2006

Evidence from the rural livelihood literature shows that farm households in developing countries engage in nonfarm employment to supplement their household income. This raises the question of whether nonfarm income complements or competes with agricultural production due to a possible shift in farm household labour to nonfarm employment. Using survey data, this study examines the impact of rural nonfarm income on farm households' agricultural production in Bangladesh. Applying the instrumental variable Tobit model, we find a nonlinear relationship between nonfarm income and total production expenditure as well as expenditures on major purchased inputs (equipment, seed, fertilizer, purchased labour). This indicates that when nonfarm income rises, production expenditure increases but at a decreasing rate. Furthermore, the endogenous stochastic frontier production model indicates that technical inefficiency in agricultural production decreases at an increasing rate when nonfarm income rises. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that nonfarm income exerts an income effect on agricultural production by reducing the liquidity constraint and intensifying major purchased inputs. Thus, introducing policies that would increase rural nonfarm income opportunities to rural households complements agricultural production. This would also lead to raised food production, ultimately leading to an increase in food availability as well as food security.