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Salinity Changes in South West Bangladesh and Its Impact on Rural Livelihoods

B. Bhowmick
Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, United Kingdom

Z. Uddin
Noakhali Science and Technology University, Sonapur, University Rd, 3814 Bangladesh

S. Rahman
Sylhet Agricultural University, Alurtol Road, Sylhet 3100, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Salinity intrusion greatly affects the livelihood decisions which farmers have to make. Both environmental and anthropogenic factors affect salt water intrusion within south west Bangladesh. Although climate change and sea level rise are thought to increase salinity, siltation and sedimentation of canals reduces access to surface water and prevents salt water intrusion in to farming zones. This study highlights how decreasing salinity within Khulna and Bagerhat districts is allowing farmers to diversify their agricultural practices, reducing vulnerability and improving household income and food security. By using both quantitative and qualitative data collection, semi structured interviews were held with farmers and landless people to understand how they adapt to salinity changes. The results show that whilst salinity decreases were identical across both districts, farmers adapt to the changes in a number of ways based primarily on their access to water. Whilst shrimp production struggles to improve, increases in freshwater production of prawns, fin fish and dyke crops partially confirm that salinity was decreasing within the area. Furthermore, increases in income generation were also observed confirming that diversification improved rural livelihoods. In the wider context, understanding farmer mitigation strategies towards the environment allows for future comparisons to be made on climate change and sea level rise which are widely considered to drive salt water intrusion further in land.

Keywords: Aquaculture, Bangladesh, Salinity, Livelihoods.

Location: Khulna and Bagerhat districts, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-00-2010

End Date: 00-00-2014

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Soil salinity, Water quality

Objectives:

To determine the Salinity Changes in South West Bangladesh and its Impact on Rural Livelihoods

Methodology:

To understand how salinity changes are affecting the livelihoods of local people, the study looked at trends between 2010 and 2014. A quantitative and qualitative approach was adopted using semi-structured interviews with rural farmers and landless people. The Sustainable Ethical Aquaculture Trade project (SEAT, 2010) identified 19 villages within Khulna and Bagerhat districts where shrimp and prawn farming was the major source of income. A further 5 villages were identified by a recent field based research topic on the Golda Project (Taskov, 2014). Using PRA tools, an initial exploratory analysis of the study area was carried out within the two districts to establish current farming and salinity trends between 2010 and 2014. Three key informants (KI) from each of the 12 villages were interviewed using semi-structured questions. Each KI was interviewed using identical surveys to facilitate triangulation, providing greater accuracy of information. The salinity measurements corroborate the qualitative information provided by the key informants on salinity trends. The Key Informants were asked to participate in a simple salt test in order to understand the extent of farmer knowledge on water salinity. Participants were asked to rank the solutions in order of salinity, low to high. Furthermore, they were asked to identify which solutions they could engage in farming shrimp and prawn. The baseline information gathered from Phase One identified three key villages (Shobna, Badukhali and Faltita) which had experienced the highest degree of change to salinity and farming practices since 2010. In order to gain a solid perspective on the interactions between the environment and rural livelihoods there is a requirement to investigate social strata within each village (Institute of Aquaculture, 1998). Within each village, three KIs, such as a local representative, teacher or elder were asked to rank the whole village in to wealth categories as a percentage. A list of 100 farmers and 10 Landless people from each village was obtained and the KIs were asked to classify these people in to specific wealth categories based on their own parameters. All KIs identified housing type and land size as the two main categories whilst education and health were considered secondary. The dependent variable, the ICZ, is reliant on the independent variables identified in the quantitative data collection. The Independent variables in this study focus on socio-economic elements such as household income, gher lease costs, the production and cost of shrimp, prawn, finfish and dyke crops. Determining the level and intensity of these variables allows reasonably strong conclusions to be drawn in support of the hypothesis.

Source of Information: Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2016). 14 (2): 251-255 ISSN: 1729-7893 (Print), 2308-0922 (Online)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The results show that whilst salinity decreases were identical across both districts, farmers adapt to the changes in a number of ways based primarily on their access to water. Whilst shrimp production struggles to improve, increases in freshwater production of prawns, fin fish and dyke crops partially confirm that salinity was decreasing within the area. Furthermore, increases in income generation were also observed confirming that diversification improved rural livelihoods. In the wider context, understanding farmer mitigation strategies towards the environment allows for future comparisons to be made on climate change and sea level rise which are widely considered to drive salt water intrusion further in land.

Knowledge Management: Journal