Articles by Mahabub Hossain

This paper broadly explores the hypothesis that scientists working together for a common cause can do wonders in a group, if the system is fairly transparent and institutionalised. As a case study, it assesses the synergetic effects of partnership research in public sector R&D in India, with the all-India coordinated rice improvement programme as an example. The study finds that the partnership mechanism of AICRIP has played an important role through free interstate and inter-institutional movement of improved germplasm, which has accelerated the adoption of modern varieties of rice for cultivation in many parts of India.

The 1990s witnessed a significant deceleration in growth of rice productivity. The productivity potential of the existing modern rice varieties is getting exhausted especially under irrigated environments. This raises a serious concern about Asia's ability to sustain its food security in the 21st century. To find solutions to reverse this trend in irrigated systems, and raise yield levels in rain-fed areas, many public sector R and D institutions across Asia have invested huge public resources to explore new frontiers of rice science. However, many farmers, who grew hybrid rice initially, have started dropping out from hybrid rice cultivation. Can the currently available hybrid rice technology sustain productivity growth in the Asian tropics? Why has it not been possible to replicate in the Asian tropics China's success with hybrid rice? The paper provides a synthesis of major findings of a multi-country evaluation of farmers' experiences with the adoption of hybrid rice varieties.

The development and promotion of hybrid rice is a strategy being pursued by the government to attain self-sufficiency in rice supplies and improve farmers' welfare. On-farm experiments have shown significant yield advantage of hybrid rice over the best-inbred rice varieties. The government launched a special hybrid rice promotion programme during 1999-2000 and has been providing subsidy on seeds as a special incentive to farmers. The private sector, including a Chinese company is also actively involved in research and seed production. But the adoption of hybrid rice is still at a low level. This paper provides some insights into the constraints to expansion of hybrid rice technology.

Myanmar, a socialist country with a distinct political set-up began a nationwide programme to intensify rice production through the expansion of irrigation facilities and use of modern technology in the early 1990s. This paper assesses the impacts of recent government initiatives on income distribution and poverty under two varying ecosystems, irrigated and rainfed, based on an intensive household survey in four villages during 1996. Major findings indicate that the recent government's policy on the promotion of modern rice technology and irrigation did not increase household income due to farmers' inability to cope with the economic and technical demands of the new rice-based technologies. The study also identifies household size, education and higher proportion of female members in the household as major factors that affected poverty. Finally, the paper suggests strategies and policy reforms to help reduce income inequality and poverty in rural Myanmar.

An impressive growth in per capita income in Thailand's economy between 1987 and 1988 occurred mainly due to a dramatic fall in household size and the growing importance of non-rice crops. This article examines the changes in Thailand's rural economy by generating household level data through repeat surveys of six villages. The study finds that income distribution has worsened and although the proportion of poor households has declined, the intensity and severity of poverty has increased.