Sustainable agricultural development: a micro-level GIS-based study on women’s perceptions of environmental protection and entrepreneurship in Japan and Bangladesh

GeoJournal (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

This collaborative research focused on assessing women’s perceptions and participation regarding environmental protection and developing entrepreneurship opportunities through suitability mapping in the study areas of Japan and Bangladesh to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The purpose of this study was to apply the most feasible and applicable site-specific methods from the experience in Japan to build women’s capacity of entrepreneurship and ensuring environmental protection using geographical information system (GIS) in Bangladesh. A questionnaire-based survey and key informant interviews were conducted for the quantitative and qualitative assessment on sustainable agricultural practices and entrepreneurships of women living in villages in these two countries using a bottom–up approach. Sustainable agricultural practices relating to fertilizer and pesticides, deforestation, waste management and entrepreneurship capabilities of women were investigated in a model village, Nakagawa, located in the Tochigi prefecture in Japan. Information gathered from the Japanese women were used to encourage women’s participation on similar indicators at Hujuri-para village of Rajshahi district in Bangladesh. The research emphasized the suitability mapping of entrepreneurial opportunities at the micro-level, which could bridge between an entrepreneur production hub and consumers for empowering rural women. Selected criteria were considered in the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The MCDA was incorporated with GIS for suitability assessment of the areas to initiate entrepreneurship hub for local women and stakeholders. The suitability map was developed and it was found that 33% of the areas of the Hujuri-para village in Bangladesh were most suitable for women entrepreneurs, whereas only 15% of Nakagawa village had the most suitable areas for extending entrepreneurship facilities. The Japanese experiences indicated the development of services and women’s involvement in a model village which could be implemented in Bangladesh. The bottom–up approach of this study is recommended for policy planning to promote use of locally available resources for entrepreneurship development in these two countries that can be executed by the local government for sustainable agricultural development.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

(Source: Modified from the geospatial information authority (GSI) Geodatabase, Japan)

Fig. 3

(Source: Modified from the local government engineering department (LGED) Geodatabase, Bangladesh)

Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

References

  1. Agarwal, B. (2018). Gender equality, food security and the sustainable development goals. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability,34, 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2018.07.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ahmed, K. I. (2006). The rural Bangladeshi courtyard. BRAC University Journal, III(1), 9–15. http://123.49.46.157/bitstream/handle/10361/556/Vol.3%20No%201.2.pdf?sequence=1.

  3. Akther, A., Ahamed, T., Noguchi, R., Genkawa, T., & Takigawa, T. (2018). Site suitability analysis of biogas digester plant for municipal waste using GIS and multi-criteria analysis. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science,3(1), 61–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Alkire, S., Meinzen-Dick, R., Peterman, A., Quisumbing, A., Seymour, G., & Vaz, A. (2013). The women’s empowerment in agriculture index. World Development,52(C): 71–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.06.018.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Alvi, T. U. R., Hanif, I., Feryal, I., Waraich, I. A., & Mortaza, N. (2012). Women participation in socio-economic development in agriculture areas of Pakistan. Universal Journal of Management and Social Sciences,2(10), 9–20.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ambarwulan, W., Setiawan, Y., & Walter, C. (2016). Assessing the suitability and availability of land for agriculture in Tuban Regency, East Java, Indonesia. Applied and Environmental Soil Science, 206(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7302148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Annes, A., & Wright, W. (2016). Value-added agriculture: A context for the empowerment of French women farmers? Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies,97(3), 185–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bayeh, E. (2016). The role of empowering women and achieving gender equality to the sustainable development of Ethiopia. Pacific Science Review B: Humanities and Social Sciences,2(1), 37–42.

    Google Scholar 

  9. BBS. (2014). Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2011, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, Statistics and Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh National Volume 2: Union Statistics (pp. 381–392).

  10. Beinat, E., & Nijkamp, P. (Eds.). (1998). Multi-criteria analysis for land-use management (Vol. 9). Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Belton, S., & Stewart, T. S. (2002). Multiple criteria decision analysis: An integrated approach. Hingham: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Bonilla Valverde, J. P., Blank, C., Roidt, M., Schneider, L., & Stefan, C. (2016). Application of a GIS multi-criteria decision analysis for the identification of intrinsic suitable sites in Costa Rica for the application of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) through spreading methods. Water,8(9), 391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Boothe, P. (2016). Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Keeping track: Measuring progress toward the UN sustainable development goals. pp 52–63. http://bccic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SDG-REPORT-v6.1-WEB.pdf#page=52.

  14. Brown, S. (2003). Spatial analysis of socioeconomic issues: Gender and GIS in Nepal. Mountain Research and Development,23(4), 338–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Chan, C., Sipes, B. S., & Lee, T. (Eds.). (2017). Enabling agri-entrepreneurship and innovation: Empirical evidence and solutions for conflict regions and transitioning economies. Wallingford: CABI.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Cherayi, S., & Jose, J. P. (2016). Empowerment and social inclusion of Muslim women: Towards a new conceptual model. Journal of rural studies,45, 243–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.04.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Chikwendu, D. O., & Arokoyo, J. O. (1997). Women and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture,11(1), 53–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Dodgson, J. S., Spackman, M., Pearman, A., & Phillips, L. D. (2009). Multi-criteria analysis: A manual. London: Department for Communities and Local Government. Retrieved October 15, 2017, from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/12761/1/Multi-criteria_Analysis.pdf.

  19. Dorosh, P., Wang, H. G., You, L., & Schmidt, E. (2010). Crop production and road connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa: A spatial analysis. Washington DC: World Bank. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/319731468006253963/pdf/WPS5835.pdf.

  20. Doss, C., Meinzen-Dick, R., Quisumbing, A., & Theis, S. (2018). Women in agriculture: Four myths. Global Food Security,16, 69–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2017.10.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Eastman, J. R., Jin, W., Keym, P. A. K., & Toledano, J. (1995). Raster procedures for multi-criteria/multi-objective decisions. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing,61(5), 539–547.

    Google Scholar 

  22. FAO. (2011).The role of women in agriculture. Economic Development Analysis Division (ESA) Working Paper, 11-02, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/am307e/am307e00.pdf.

  23. FAO. (2011). The state of food and agriculture 2010–2011: Women in agriculture: closing the gender gap for development. Rome: FAO. FAO Published in 2011, p. 247. ISBN: 978-92-5-106768-0.

  24. Figueira, J., Salvatore, G., & Matthias, E. (2005). Multiple criteria decision analysis: State of the art surveys. New York: Springer. ISBN 0-387-23081-5.

  25. Gasson, R. (1980). Roles of farm women in England. Sociologia Ruralis, 20(3), 165–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9523.1980.tb00706.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Hamadouche, M. A., Mederbal, K., Kouri, L., Regagba, Z., Fekir, Y., & Anteur, D. (2014). GIS-based multicriteria analysis: an approach to select priority areas for preservation in the Ahaggar National Park,Algeria. Arabian Journal of Geosciences,7(2), 419–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hirotsune, K. (2011, March). Tourism, sustainable tourism and ecotourism in developing countries. In Proceedings of the ANDA international conference, nagoya, Japan (pp. 5–7). Retrieved January 6, 2019, from https://www2.gsid.nagoya-u.ac.jp/blog/anda/files/2011/08/4-kimura_hirotsunee38080.pdf.

  28. Horiuchi, S. (2008). Affiliative segregation of outsiders from a community: Bonding and bridging social capital in Hachimori-cho, Japan. International Journal of Japanese Sociology,17(1), 91–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Horiuchi, S. (2017). Entrepreneurs’ networks at rural market: Developing a creative village in the Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Economics & Sociology,10(3), 251–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Iacob, S. E. (2015). The role of the forest resources in the socioeconomic development of the rural areas. Procedia economics and finance,23, 1578–1583. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)00415-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Islam, M. M., Ahamed, T., & Noguchi, R. (2018). Land suitability and insurance premiums: A GIS-based multicriteria analysis approach for sustainable rice production. Sustainability,10(6), 1759. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Jaim, W. M. H., &Hossain, M. (2011). Women’s participation in agriculture in Bangladesh 1988–2008: Changes and determinants. In Preconference event on dynamics of rural livelihoods and poverty in South Asia, 7th Asian society of agricultural economists (ASAE) international conference, Hanoi, Vietnam.

  33. Jia, K., Wei, X., Gu, X., Yao, Y., Xie, X., & Li, B. (2014). Land cover classification using Landsat 8 operational land imager data in Beijing, China. Geocarto International,29(8), 941–951.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Kaiser, E. J., Godschalk, D. R., & Chapin, F. S. (1995). Urban land use planning (Vol. 4). Urbana: University of Illinois Press.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Karami, E., & Mansoorabadi, A. (2008). Sustainable agricultural attitudes and behaviors: a gender analysis of Iranian farmers. Environment, Development and Sustainability,10(6), 883–898.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Khan, M., Sajjad, M., Hameed, B., Khan, M. N., & Jan, A. U. (2012). Participation of women in agriculture activities in district Peshawar. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture,28(1), 121–127.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Knight, J. (2000). From timber to tourism: Recommoditizing the Japanese forest. Development and Change,31(1), 341–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. LGED, Local Government Engineering Department of Bangladesh. (1995). Manual for growth center planning. Dhaka: LGED.

    Google Scholar 

  39. MAFF. (2014). Japan annual report on forest and forestry in Japan fiscal year 2014. Forestry agency ministry of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, Japan. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kikaku/hakusyo/26hakusyo/pdf/h26summary.pdf.

  40. MAFF. (2017).Summary of the annual report on food, agriculture and rural areas in Japan. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from http://www.maff.go.jp/e/data/publish/attach/pdf/index-57.pdf.

  41. Malczewski, J. (2004). GIS-based land-use suitability analysis: A critical overview. Progress in Planning,62(1), 3–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Maruthesha, A. M. (2014). Empowerment of rural women towards food security through agro-processing activities. Doctoral dissertation, University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK, Bangalore.

  43. Mashiri, M., Chakwizira, J., & Nhemachena, C. (2009). Gender dimensions of agricultural & rural employment–differentiated pathways out of poverty: Experiences from South Africa. In Technical expert workshop on: Gaps, trends & current research in gender dimensions of agricultural & rural employment. ILO-IFAD-FAO Working paper series, April. Rome, Italy.

  44. McCall, M. K., & Minang, P. A. (2005). Assessing participatory GIS for community-based natural resource management: claiming community forests in Cameroon. Geographical Journal,171(4), 340–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. McCray, T., & Brais, N. (2007). Exploring the role of transportation in fostering social exclusion: The use of GIS to support qualitative data. Networks and Spatial Economics,7(4), 397–412.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Mersha, A. A., & Van Laerhoven, F. (2016). A gender approach to understanding the differentiated impact of barriers to adaptation: responses to climate change in rural Ethiopia. Regional Environmental Change,16(6), 1701–1713.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. MOFA. (2016). Diplomatic bluebook 2016. Chapter 3—Japan’s foreign policy to promote national and worldwide interests. Retrieved January 5, 2019, from https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/other/bluebook/2016/html/chapter3/c030301.html.

  48. Mu, E., & Pereyra-Rojas, M. (2016). Practical decision making: An introduction to the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) using super decisions (Vol. 2). Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Muhsin, N., Ahamed, T., & Noguchi, R. (2017). GIS-based multi-criteria analysis modeling used to locate suitable sites for industries in suburban areas in Bangladesh to ensure the sustainability of agricultural lands. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Sciences,2(1), 35–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Mustajoki, J., Marttunen, M., Karjalainen, T. P., Hokkanen, J., &Vehmas, A. (2013). Developing practices for supporting EIA with multi-criteria decision analysis. In 33rd annual meeting of the international association for impact assessment (IAIA13 conference (Calgary, Canada) 13.-16.5. 2013).

  51. Nabikolo, D., Bashaasha, B., Mangheni, M. N., & Majaliwa, J. G. M. (2012). Determinants of climate change adaptation among male and female headed farm households in eastern Uganda. African Crop Science Journal,20(2), 203–212.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Panta, S. K., & Thapa, B. (2018). Entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment in gateway communities of bardia national park, Nepal. Journal of Ecotourism,17(1), 20–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Purnamasari, R. A., Ahamed, T., & Noguchi, R. (2018). Land suitability assessment for cassava production in Indonesia using GIS, remote sensing and multi-criteria analysis. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science,3(1), 1–32.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Saaty, T. L. (1980). The analytic hierarchy process. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Saaty, T. L. (1987). Decision making, new information, ranking and structure. Mathematical Modelling,8, 125–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/0270-0255(87)90555-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Saaty, T. L. (1990). How to make a decision: The analytic hierarchy process. European Journal of Operational Research,48(1), 9–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Sachs, J. D. (2012). From millennium development goals to sustainable development goals. The Lancet,379(9832), 2206–2211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Salem, U. I. (2016). Rural women entrepreneurship in agro-food processing. Asia Pacific Journal of Research, I(XLVI), 33–48.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Silva, C., Ferreira, J. G., Bricker, S. B., DelValls, T. A., Martín-Díaz, M. L., & Yáñez, E. (2011). Site selection for shellfish aquaculture by means of GIS and farm-scale models, with an emphasis on data-poor environments. Aquaculture,318(3–4), 444–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Song, D., & Kuwahara, S. (2016). Ecotourism and world natural heritage: Its influence on islands in Japan. Journal of Marine and Island Cultures,5(1), 36–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Stessens, P., Canters, F., Huysmans, M., & Khan, A. Z. (2020). Urban green space qualities: An integrated approach towards GIS-based assessment reflecting user perception. Land Use Policy,91, 104319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Sui, D. Z., & Maggio, R. C. (1999a). Integrating GIS with hydrological modeling: Practices, problems, and prospects. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems,23(1), 33–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Sui, D. Z., & Maggio, R. C. (1999b). Integrating GIS with hydrological modeling: practices, problems and prospects. Computer, Environment and Urban Systems,23(1), 33–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  64. Talukder, B., Blay-Palmer, A., Hipel, K., & vanLoon, G. (2017). Elimination method of multi-criteria decision analysis (mcda): A simple methodological approach for assessing agricultural sustainability. Sustainability,9(2), 287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Talukder, B., & Hipel, K. W. (2018). The PROMETHEE framework for comparing the sustainability of agricultural systems. Resources,7(4), 74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Talukder, B., Hipel, K. W., & vanLoon, G. W. (2018). Using multi-criteria decision analysis for assessing sustainability of agricultural systems. Sustainable Development,26(6), 781–799.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  67. Triantaphyllou, E. (2000). Multi-criteria decision making method: A comparative study. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Troyer, M. E. (2002). A spatial approach for integrating and analyzing indicators of ecological and human condition. Ecological Indicators,2(1–2), 211–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. United Nations. (2015). General assembly resolution A/RES/70/1. Transforming our world, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Retrieved November 30, 2019, from https://www.refworld.org/docid/57b6e3e44.html.

  70. URP, BUET. (2017). Planning and prioritization of rural roads in Bangladesh. Report of the First Stakeholders Workshop (27 February 2017), Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), BAN2072A, October 2016 (Revised February 2017).

  71. Wang, G., Qin, L., Li, G., & Chen, L. (2009). Landfill site selection using spatial information technologies and AHP: A case study in Beijing, China. Journal of Environmental Management,90(8), 2414–2421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Whiteman, A. (2000). Promoting rural development through forestry policy: Some experiences from developing countries. In Presentation to the seminar: The role of forests and forestry in rural development implications for forest policy: Contribution to Work of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (pp. 5–7).

  73. Wilson, J., Homziak, J., & Coleman, R. E. (1993). Site selection, acquisition, and planning for aquaculture in dredged material containment areas (No. WES/CR/EL-93-13). Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station Vicksburg Ms Environmental Lab.

  74. Youssef, A. B., Boubaker, S., & Omri, A. (2017). Entrepreneurship and sustainability goals: The need for innovative and institutional solutions. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.11.003.halshs-01653946.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the respondents of Nakagawa village of Japan and Hujuri-para village in Bangladesh, for their valuable time and cooperation to make the project successful. In addition, we would also like to acknowledge the graduate students from the University of Rajshahi and University of Tsukuba for assisting with the project baseline survey and for providing training to the village women in Hujuri-para. This research was funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh. We express our gratitude to them. We would also like to acknowledge the contribution of the survey participants and city halls in Nakagawa village and Hujuri-para village, the LGED Bangladesh.

Funding

The study was supported by Bilateral Research Grant from Japanese Society of Promotion Science and University Grants Commission, Bangladesh of Basic Research. Author, Tofael Ahamed was supported by Bilateral Grants from JSPS (Japan) and Wardatul Akmam (University Grants Commission, Bangladesh).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Tofael Ahamed & Ryozo Noguchi

  2. Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

    Nazia Muhsin & Riska Ayu Purnamasari

  3. Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Varendra University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

    Md. Ariful Islam

  4. Faculty of Social Science, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

    Farhat Tasnim, Md. Zamirul Islam, Md. Fakrul Islam & Wardatul Akmam

Authors
  1. Tofael Ahamed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ryozo Noguchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nazia Muhsin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Riska Ayu Purnamasari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Md. Ariful Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Farhat Tasnim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Md. Zamirul Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Md. Fakrul Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Wardatul Akmam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tofael Ahamed.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Consent for publication

This is collaborative research between two universities from Japan and Bangladesh. This original research manuscript has not been published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Human and animal rights

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants involved in the study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahamed, T., Noguchi, R., Muhsin, N. et al. Sustainable agricultural development: a micro-level GIS-based study on women’s perceptions of environmental protection and entrepreneurship in Japan and Bangladesh. GeoJournal (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-020-10169-5

Download citation

Keywords

  • Environmental protection
  • Women’s perception
  • Bottom–up approach
  • Entrepreneurship
  • GIS
  • Suitability mapping
  • Sustainable agricultural development