Improving the Productivity of Existing Rice‐Based Cropping Systems Through Crop Intensification and Diversification in Tista Meander Floodplain (AEZ‐3) of Bangladesh

Enhancing productivity and cropping intensity in rice‐based systems is the key to securing food and livelihoods in Bangladesh. This study explored alternatives to the traditional boro rice–fallow–T. aman crop rotation in AEZ‐3 over 2021–23 at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Rangpur. Twelve cropping patterns (CP 1 –CP 12 ) were tested in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Among these, CP 2 (potato–red amaranth–mungbean–T. aus –T. aman rice), CP 3 (mustard–red amaranth–mungbean–T. aus –T. aman rice), CP 5 (garden pea–red amaranth–mungbean–T. aus –T. aman rice), and CP 8 (radish–potato/maize relay–T. aman rice) stood out for yield, profitability, and land‐use efficiency. CP 8 delivered the highest rice equivalent yield (42.55 t·ha −1 ) and net return, while CP 3 maximized land use, CP 5 optimized benefit‐cost ratio, and CP 2 offered greatest labor opportunities. These intensified systems also maintained or improved soil fertility. The results highlight CP 8 , CP 2 , CP 5 , and CP 3 as sustainable, high‐return alternatives that can strengthen food security and rural incomes in northern Bangladesh.