Improving smallholder farm practices in Central Bangladesh through wide-row intercropping: Lessons from two clustered villages

This paper explores the current practices and experiences of additive intercropping in central Bangladesh, focusing on its socio-economic and nutritional benefits in enhancing food security and livelihoods. A farm-based, participatory experimental design involving 40 households compared monocrop maize production to additive maize intercropped with various vegetables. The study found that intercropping improves yields and profitability. Additive intercropping in wide-row crops like maize maintains the full main crop density while introducing short-duration intercrops which are sown concurrently with maize, thus enhancing smallholder farmers’ nutrition and food security, providing additional income, and mitigating climate risks. Uptake of additive intercropping varied across locations, with Jamalpur farmers displaying greater vegetable diversity and higher usage compared to Muktagacha. In both regions radish was the most preferred vegetable. Differences in farmers’ preferences for growing heavy feeder vegetables, like cabbage and cauliflower, reflect local consumption preferences, food habits, and knowledge gaps in both horticultural production and food preparation. The findings underscore the importance of scaling up simple and effective agronomic management practices such as wide-row, additive intercropping among smallholder farmers by promoting its socio-economic and nutritional benefits. Increased awareness and knowledge about vegetable utilization can further enhance food security and improve livelihoods through sustainable intercropping practices.