Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Waterlogging Threaten Biodiversity Along the Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh

Syed M. Tareq
Dept of Civil Engg., Military Institute of Science and Technology, Dhaka 1216

M. Tauhid Ur Rahman
Dept of Civil Engg., Military Institute of Science and Technology, Dhaka 1216

Syed Zia Uddin
Climate Change Laboratory, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Dhaka 1216

A.F.M Jamal Uddin
Dept of Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka 1207

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Water logging started appearing as silent killer to the lives and livelihood of the south west coastal region of Bangladesh .Data were collected through FGD (Focus Group Discussion), KII (key Informant Interview) and questionnaire survey from three water logged villages of three unions of Tala upazila of south-western region. The study reaches to the conclusion that duration of water logging and peoples’ response to that situation are two important factors that determine the impact of water logging in the study area. A substantial number of birds, livestock, fisheries, as well as plants and vegetation are disappearing from the flora and fauna of Tala upazila. The study also finds that water logging affects peoples’ wellbeing by narrowing down the livelihood options of the people. Water logging squeezes the scope for maintaining household economy by reducing the number of livestock, fisheries, and restraining the growth of vegetation, fruit trees and timber trees. Increased salinities are also appearing as silent threat associated with the detrimental biodiversity.

Keywords: Ecosystem, Biodiversity, Water logging, Wellbeing, TRM, Beels.

Location: Tala upazila of south- west region of Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-04-2015

End Date: 00-04-2016

Program Area: Conservation and Biodiversity

Commodity: Waterlogging

Objectives:

Present study tries to discover the impacts of water logging on biodiversity in the southwestern region of Bangladesh. It identified that water logging affects human settlement, habitation of birds, animals and fishes as well as growth of trees and plants in that region.

Methodology:

Study Area Selection: The study purposively selects Tala upazila of south- west region of Bangladesh has the long history of water logging. The study selects three unions Khalishkhali,Islamkathi and Jalalpur union of Talaupazilla in Sathkhira district. Among these areas, Jalalpur and Islamkathi union remain water logged naturally almost throughout the year. Usually rain water remain trapped in Vabhanipur area of Islamkathi as well as Kanaidia area of Jabalpur. On the contrary Khalishkhali union can be termed as anthropogenic water logged. Saline water is pumped in this area for shrimp cultivation. For in depth study, the most affected villages Dalua, Vabanipur and Kanaidia villages were selected, which represents Khaliskhali, Islamkhati and Jalalpur union respectively.

Data Collection Primary data were collected during the period of April 2015 to April 2016. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted for capturing the impact of water logging on plant growth, biodiversity and physical environment. The interviewees were mainly farmers and businessmen, who live in the study area for long time and thus would be able to capture the impact of water logging on biodiversity. In addition to this, five key informant interviews were conducted to get deep insight about changes in physical environment and changes in biodiversity and peoples’ adaptation to those changes in the study area. In order to gather data on these diversified issues, number of FGDs in the unions has been done. After collection of all primary and secondary data, they were processed and analyzed to obtain the findings of the study.

Source of Information: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BUSINESS, SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ISSN: 2309-7892, Volume: 4, Issue: 3, Page: 203-210, April-June 2016

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It reveals that nature and severity of water logging problem affect the study areas in different ways. Duration of water logging and peoples’ response to that problem are two important factors which determines the effect of water logging problem in the study area. Permanent nature of water logging in Kanaida as well as Vabanipur village induces the people to adapt the consequences of water logging into their livelihood dynamics even amid severe biodiversity losses. On the contrary, controlled nature of water logging in Khalishkhali union does not compel the people to compensate the water logging induced welfare losses. But it is evident from the field survey that water logging has profound impacts on biodiversity loss and resulting reduced wellbeing in terms of squeezed household economy and reduced access to open access fisheries. Analyzing the causes and impacts of water logging problem on biodiversity in the study area, few recommendations can be suggested to reach a long term solution towards this problem. These recommendations are extracted from the opinion of the respondents in the study area. People in Kanaidia village opine that dredging or excavating Kobadak River would be the most important solution to allow regular tides of the river at first stage. Then it is also very important to prohibit active deposition of sediments inside the river beds. Tidal River Management (TRM) has proven as effective tools in mitigating severe water logged areas. In case of Vabanipur village, people recommend excavation of existing linked canal to drain out logged water from the habitation. Local people in this area also suggest continuing TRM in the upstream rivers to increase drainage capacity of the Kabodakriver. But people in all of the study areas opine that whatever the measures adopted for solving water logging problem should incorporate local people perception and their indigenous knowledge. Good packageof compensation for affected people in TRM beels may help all stakeholder in execution of TRM operation.

Knowledge Management: Journal