Sustainable Economic Development through Inclusive Agricultural Marketing: A Study on Ethnic Community Groups in Three Hill Districts

Abstract: The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region, home to eleven distinct ethnic groups, is a crucial area for sustainable economic growth. With an estimated ten billion people on the planet by 2050, agricultural growth is essential to combat extreme poverty and promote shared wealth. The region, consisting of three hill districts, has a high percentage of middle-aged farmers, with a higher marriage rate, lower single farmers, and lower divorce rates. The Chittagong Hill Tracts has a high percentage of illiterate and uneducated farmers, with 42.7% of respondents under twenty-five having completed secondary school. Joint families make up a larger percentage of the farming population (77.3%) than those from nuclear households (22.7%). Most respondents (53.3%) have incomes of less than one lakh, while 8.3% make between 3-5 lakh and above 5 lakhs. Sixty-two percent have rented land. Farmers aged 25 to 50 have better chances of economic growth than those under twenty-five, indicating that growing older may have a positive impact on the economy. Secondary and higher education also affect economic growth. Economic growth and family size are correlated, with joint-family farmers experiencing greater economic growth than nuclear-family farmers. Married farmers have a higher likelihood of economic growth compared to single farmers. Land ownership, time spent cultivating, and growing farming experience all contributed to the region's economic growth. Direct marketing can boost economic growth, and it is associated with a higher probability of doing so. To achieve this, the Bangladesh University Grants Commission can implement mandatory schooling in the CHT. By combining the experiences of more senior farmers with economic progress, policymakers can disseminate their results to younger farmers. To boost workforce availability, the government and non-governmental groups should undertake projects that facilitate easy ownership for farmers in the CHT. Non-governmental groups can organize seminars to inform farmers about the benefits of direct selling and motivate them to adopt this strategy. Addressing income disparities throughout the hills in the CHT is crucial, as farmers need to prepare for the potential to make money from hillsides.