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Managing Diverse Land Uses in Coastal Bangladesh: Institutional Approaches

M. Rafiqul Islam
Program Development Office
Integrated Coastal Zone Management, BWDB, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

In the coastal zone, the population is expected to increase from 36.8 million in 2001 to 43.9 in 2015, and to 60.8 million by 2050. Land use in coastal Bangladesh is diverse, competitive and conflicting. Agriculture, shrimp farming, salt production, forestry, ship-breaking yards, ports, industry, settlements and wetlands are some of the uses. Land uses have gone through major changes. Land use in the 1950s had been mainly for traditional rain-fed paddy cultivation, but salinity intrusion and tidal flooding prevented further intensification. During 1960s-1980s, the World Bank and others helped with large-scale polderization in order to boost rice production. A decade later, drainage congestion inside and heavy siltation outside the polders made the south-western area unsuitable both for agriculture, and, in extreme cases, even for human habitation. However, as the region has a history of traditional shrimp farming, polders provided an opportunity for intensive shrimp farming. Crop land and mangroves were transformed to shrimp farming. This created intensive shrimp farming. Crop land and mangroves were transformed to shrimp farming. This created intensive shrimp farming. Crop land and mangroves were transformed to shrimp farms. This created social conflict. Considering the reality, integrated rice-shrimp/fish farming has evolved as a solution. It has been found that, planned management of the coastal land including the exclusive economic zone is possible through strict land zoning and its implementation; once agreed by the decision makers and all others involved.

Keywords: Agricultural land uses, Coastal zone, Rice-shrimp farming, Social conflict,

Location: The 19 coastal districts and EEZ (Exclusive Economic zone) of Bangladesh Zone)

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Land management

Objectives:

To assess the complexities of land uses and the institutional approaches adopted to define indicative land zoning in the coastal area of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The paper reviewed the information available on coastal land uses. In the coastal Bangladesh, currently; agriculture, shrimp farming, salt production, forestry, ship-breaking yards, ports, industry, human habitation and wetlands are the land uses in an area of only 47,000 km2 inhabited by 36.8 million people. Many years back, the land use, was only paddy cultivation, especially low-yielding local varieties. In very limited areas of the southwest, traditional shrimp culture was practiced. As salinity intrusion and tidal surges caused routine crop damage, thus the concept of empolderment/embankment arised to protect land and to increase agricultural production. Shrimp farming and rapid expansion of its area gave rise to wide-scale land use conflict, degradation of the coastal ecology and created social unrest. Now the pattern emerging, is integrated rice-shrimp/fish farming. This will perhaps improve the socio-economic condition of the people as well as maintain the ecological balance in the coastal region. The land suitability factors for both T. aman and bagda shrimp are similar, except for soil salinity. High salinity increases the yield of bagda but reduces the yield of the T. aman crop. Study revealed that, based on the physical suitability and requirement, areas to be used for bagda cultivation,T.aman and other agricultural crops could be delineated. For the land zoning to be accepted as a planning tool, there has to be a high level of consensus and ownership among relevant agencies.

Source of Information: CAB International 2006. Environment and Livelihoods in Tropical Coastal Zones (eds C. T. Hoanh, T. P. Tuong, J. W. Gowing and B. Hardy)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Even with agreement on indicative land zoning among many agencies, only a start has been made. This revelation of land zoning is expected to be used as a basis for detailed land zoning, as elaborated in the Land-Use policy of the Ministry of land. The challenge is to give a legal status to this broad zoning. However, the strength of this exercise is that it has brought relevant agencies together on an institutional platform. A consensus, though no legal binding could be reached which may go further for detailed land zoning for wider application. Land zoning, complemented by policy and investment support, can be instrumental in managing conflicting and diverse land uses in the coastal zone. Continued research on land use will support optimum, sustainable and environment friendly land use leading to modern management of coastal land through zoning.

Knowledge Management: Journal