Growth and instability analysis of lentil in Bangladesh

Abstract

Lentil stands out as a major contributor, essential not only for human nutrition but also for sustaining both human health and agricultural soil quality. A comprehensive investigation spanning four decades (1981-2020) was conducted to analyze growth and instability of lentil in Bangladesh using secondary data. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for enhancing agricultural resilience, food security, and sustainable practices to meet increasing demands and challenges precipitated by erratic weather patterns.  The study divided the period into four sub-periods (1981-1990, 1991-2000, 2001-2010 & 2011-2020) and utilized statistical tools for analysis. The application of exponential growth functions facilitated the determination of growth rates, while the Cuddy-Della Valle index assessed instability. The analysis revealed that the production and yield of lentils had increased. The change in area and yield contributed respectively 41.7% and 55.5% to the changes in the mean production of lentils at the national level. Though the lentil’s yields increased significantly, the rate of growth is slow and inadequate to meet our country's demand. The analysis also revealed that the area, production, and yield of lentils were not stable during the study period.

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 48(2): 249-257, June 2023