Financial Viability of Conservation Agriculture Tillage Technologies in Bangladesh: Evidence from Two-Wheel Power Tiller-Operated Implements
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66529/agripat.2026.2.SI.88Keywords:
CA technology, Service provider, Bangladesh, Financial analysisAbstract
Conservation agriculture (CA) offers a sustainable alternative to intensive tillage, yet its adoption remains constrained by limited evidence on the profitability of CA technologies. This study evaluates the financial viability of two-wheel power tiller-operated CA implements, the Versatile Multi-crop Planter (VMP) and the Power Tiller-Operated Seeder (PTOS), among service providers in Bangladesh. Data were collected from 60 purposively selected service providers in Rajshahi and Rajbari districts and analyzed using discounted cash flow techniques over a seven-year period at an 11% discount rate. Both technologies proved financially viable, generating positive net present values (VMP: BDT 102,088; PTOS: BDT 74,723) and internal rates of return exceeding the prevailing bank interest rate (VMP: 35%; PTOS: 24%). VMP consistently outperformed PTOS across all financial indicators. Sensitivity analysis identified operation and maintenance costs and gross benefits as the key determinants of profitability. The findings support targeted financial incentives, improved credit access, and technical improvements to enhance CA technology adoption and sustainable mechanization in Bangladesh.
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